Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Hamilton, Canada

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,278 a month against $2,379 in Hamilton, rent and utilities included – about $13,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Hamilton, Canada
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Hamilton
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,379
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Hamilton

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Hamilton actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,278 in Phuket versus $2,379 in Hamilton.

  • Phuket $1,278
  • Hamilton $2,379

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,216 in Phuket versus $3,409 in Hamilton.

  • Phuket $2,216
  • Hamilton $3,409

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,154 in Phuket versus $4,440 in Hamilton.

  • Phuket $3,154
  • Hamilton $4,440

Living in Phuket costs roughly 46% less than in Hamilton, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Hamilton is 75% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Hamilton
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.47 ฿151
$17.79 CA$24.86
-74.87%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.41 ฿1,094
$68.9 CA$96.2
-52.93%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.81 ฿297
$12.21 CA$17.05
-27.85%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿95.4
$3.48 CA$4.87
-18.68%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 ฿29.42
$2.18 CA$3.05
-60.09%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.66
$1.66 CA$2.32
-70.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.56 ฿86.3
$5.06 CA$7.07
-49.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 ฿124
$6.21 CA$8.67
-40.74%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Hamilton
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 ฿56.0
$1.99 CA$2.77
-16.58%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 ฿49.32
$2.04 CA$2.85
-28.43%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.5
$3.15 CA$4.41
-52.38%
Eggs
$2.09 ฿70.5
$3.39 CA$4.73
-38.35%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.07 ฿643
$7.90 CA$11.04
141.39%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿111
$11.46 CA$16.01
-71.20%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.91 ฿368
$14.97 CA$20.91
-27.12%
Apples (1kg)
$2.93 ฿98.9
$4.06 CA$5.67
-27.83%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿57.0
$1.31 CA$1.84
29.01%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.25 ฿75.8
$4.04 CA$5.64
-44.31%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿70.1
$3.76 CA$5.26
-44.68%
Potato (1kg)
$1.51 ฿51.0
$2.66 CA$3.71
-43.23%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.54
$1.93 CA$2.70
-28.50%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.97
$1.97 CA$2.76
-45.69%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.51
$1.34 CA$1.87
-61.19%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20 ฿142
$12.64 CA$17.66
-66.77%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.79 ฿634
$14.09 CA$19.68
33.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ฿61.5
$2.66 CA$3.71
-31.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 ฿95.9
$4.04 CA$5.64
-29.70%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Hamilton
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿49.00
$2.64 CA$3.69
-45.08%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$56.7 ฿1,912
$91.2 CA$127
-37.89%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿102
$3.57 CA$4.99
-15.41%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 ฿34.34
$1.24 CA$1.74
-17.74%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.69 ฿125
$23.74 CA$33.16
-84.46%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.78
$1.21 CA$1.70
21.49%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K ฿903.7K
$26.1K CA$36.4K
2.70%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿900.8K
$22.4K CA$31.3K
19.21%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Hamilton
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,252
$157 CA$219
-38.46%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.26 ฿380
$41.99 CA$58.7
-73.18%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.85 ฿569
$50.6 CA$70.7
-66.69%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Hamilton
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 ฿2,269
$34.23 CA$47.83
96.41%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.73 ฿362
$17.97 CA$25.10
-40.29%
Cinema Ticket
$7.50 ฿253
$10.44 CA$14.58
-28.16%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Hamilton
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$476 ฿16.1K
$490 CA$684
-2.82%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.3K ฿380.1K
$16.8K CA$23.4K
-32.79%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Hamilton
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.4 ฿2,105
$49.37 CA$69.0
26.31%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.41 ฿959
$31.10 CA$43.45
-8.65%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.3 ฿3,182
$87.9 CA$123
7.23%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8 ฿2,896
$118 CA$164
-27.03%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Hamilton
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$716 ฿24.2K
$1,288 CA$1,799
-44.41%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$491 ฿16.6K
$1,220 CA$1,704
-59.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,927 ฿65.0K
$2,066 CA$2,887
-6.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,431 ฿48.3K
$1,830 CA$2,556
-21.81%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,175 ฿140.9K
$3,105 CA$4,338
34.46%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,045 ฿102.8K
$2,705 CA$3,779
12.56%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Hamilton
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$502 ฿17.0K
$3,039 CA$4,246
-83.47%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
4.6
21.09%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Hamilton: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$491
Hamilton
$1.2K 149% $729
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$266
Hamilton
$341 28% $75
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$124
Hamilton
$249 100% $125
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$122
Hamilton
$129 5.6% $6.8
Eating Out
Phuket
$122
Hamilton
$274 125% $152
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$82
Hamilton
$55 33% $27
Getting Around
Phuket
$71
Hamilton
$112 58.1% $41

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $716 in Phuket and $1,288 in Hamilton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hamilton pays about 6.1 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $69 in Hamilton for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $266 vs $341 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇨🇦 Hamilton
🕒 Local time
09:23 9:23 AM
21:23 9:23 PM
12 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
519,949
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.68 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.716 USD). 1 EUR = 1.56 CAD (1 CAD = 0.641 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Hamilton 14,330 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Hamilton

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Phuket vs Hamilton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Hamilton?
Phuket is about 46% cheaper overall, especially in eating out, groceries, and utilities. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Hamilton?
On paper, salaries run 83% lower in Phuket. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Hamilton?
Rent for a central apartment: $716 in Phuket versus $1,288 in Hamilton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $476 in Phuket versus $490 in Hamilton. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and in Hamilton?
Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Hamilton. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Hamilton?
At $1,278 in Phuket versus $2,379 in Hamilton, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Hamilton. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Hamilton more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Hamilton, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Hamilton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Phuket vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?