Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Hay River, NT

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,294 a month against $2,243 in Hay River, NT, rent and utilities included – about $11,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Hay River, NT, Canada
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,294
/mo nomad
Hay River, NT
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,243
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Hay River, NT

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 Hay River, NT actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,294 per month in Phuket vs $2,243 in Hay River, NT, rent included.

  • Phuket $1,294
  • Hay River, NT $2,243

A couple spends around $2,204 per month in Phuket vs $3,217 in Hay River, NT, rent included.

  • Phuket $2,204
  • Hay River, NT $3,217

A family of three spends $3,115 per month in Phuket vs $4,192 in Hay River, NT, rent included.

  • Phuket $3,115
  • Hay River, NT $4,192

Phuket is about 42% cheaper than Hay River, NT, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Phuket sits 4% below the global median, while Hay River, NT is 66% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Hay River, NT
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.39 ฿147
$17.96 CA$25.07
-75.56%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.31 ฿1,078
$65.3 CA$91.2
-50.54%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.70 ฿290
$10.55 CA$14.73
-17.54%
Cappuccino
$2.72 ฿90.9
$3.76 CA$5.24
-27.66%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.93 ฿31.06
$1.98 CA$2.77
-53.03%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.50 ฿16.67
$1.68 CA$2.35
-70.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.53 ฿84.5
$5.07 CA$7.08
-50.10%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63 ฿121
$5.54 CA$7.73
-34.48%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Hay River, NT
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.74 ฿58.1
$2.10 CA$2.93
-17.14%
White Bread (500g)
$1.45 ฿48.42
$2.47 CA$3.45
-41.30%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.1
$3.50 CA$4.89
-57.14%
Eggs
$2.17 ฿72.5
$3.45 CA$4.82
-37.10%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.09 ฿637
$10.10 CA$14.10
89.01%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.40 ฿113
$11.64 CA$16.25
-70.79%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.90 ฿364
$14.78 CA$20.63
-26.25%
Apples (1kg)
$2.94 ฿98.2
$3.81 CA$5.31
-22.83%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿56.5
$1.36 CA$1.90
24.26%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.19 ฿73.2
$3.77 CA$5.26
-41.91%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 ฿70.9
$3.90 CA$5.44
-45.64%
Potato (1kg)
$1.46 ฿48.68
$2.45 CA$3.42
-40.41%
Onion (1kg)
$1.37 ฿45.66
$2.17 CA$3.03
-36.87%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 ฿35.91
$2.47 CA$3.45
-56.28%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 ฿18.21
$1.58 CA$2.21
-65.19%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.43 ฿148
$14.41 CA$20.12
-69.26%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.25 ฿609
$12.85 CA$17.94
42.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 ฿59.2
$2.84 CA$3.96
-37.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 ฿96.2
$3.19 CA$4.45
-9.72%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Hay River, NT
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿48.32
$2.38 CA$3.32
-39.08%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.9 ฿1,832
$63.3 CA$88.4
-13.29%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.51 ฿50.5
$2.86 CA$3.99
-47.20%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.78 ฿25.90
$1.43 CA$1.99
-45.45%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.84 ฿128
$23.34 CA$32.59
-83.55%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.49 ฿49.65
$1.22 CA$1.70
22.13%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.9K ฿897.3K
$27.9K CA$38.9K
-3.65%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.3K ฿879.4K
$21.6K CA$30.1K
22.13%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Hay River, NT
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$97.8 ฿3,265
$136 CA$189
-27.87%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.29 ฿377
$38.85 CA$54.2
-70.94%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.19 ฿574
$54.2 CA$75.7
-68.30%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Hay River, NT
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$68.3 ฿2,281
$37.47 CA$52.3
82.36%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.92 ฿365
$18.40 CA$25.69
-40.65%
Cinema Ticket
$7.43 ฿248
$10.83 CA$15.12
-31.39%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Hay River, NT
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$530 ฿17.7K
$641 CA$894
-17.21%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.8K ฿626.9K
$13.5K CA$18.8K
39.26%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Hay River, NT
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$61.7 ฿2,059
$55.4 CA$77.3
11.42%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.25 ฿943
$39.28 CA$54.8
-28.08%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.0 ฿3,204
$85.3 CA$119
12.61%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.8 ฿2,898
$105 CA$146
-17.18%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Hay River, NT
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$721 ฿24.1K
$1,143 CA$1,596
-36.94%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$509 ฿17.0K
$1,118 CA$1,560
-54.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,950 ฿65.1K
$1,980 CA$2,763
-1.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,397 ฿46.6K
$1,645 CA$2,296
-15.09%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,192 ฿139.9K
$4,323 CA$6,034
-3.02%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,298 ฿110.1K
$3,528 CA$4,925
-6.51%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Hay River, NT
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$492 ฿16.4K
$4,215 CA$5,884
-88.34%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
4.68
19.02%

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

Last update for Phuket: November 2, 2026

Last update for Hay River, NT: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$509
Hay River, NT
$1.1K 120% $609
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$267
Hay River, NT
$355 33% $88
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$126
Hay River, NT
$229 81.1% $102
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$123
Hay River, NT
$128 4.4% $5.4
Eating Out
Phuket
$120
Hay River, NT
$272 127% $152
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$83
Hay River, NT
$59 28.9% $24
Getting Around
Phuket
$66
Hay River, NT
$83 25.3% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $721 in Phuket versus $1,143 in Hay River, NT. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Hay River, NT are about 8.6 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Phuket versus $65 in Hay River, NT. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $355 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇨🇦 Hay River, NT
🕒 Local time
10:04 10:04 AM
21:04 9:04 PM
13 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
3,600
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 33.38 THB (100 THB = 3 USD). 1 EUR = 37.47 THB (100 THB = 2.67 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.716 USD). 1 EUR = 1.57 CAD (1 CAD = 0.638 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Hay River, NT 11,810 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Hay River, NT

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 Hay River, NT: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Hay River, NT?
Hay River, NT costs about 73% more than Phuket, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Phuket and in Hay River, NT?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,940 per month in Phuket and $3,364 in Hay River, NT. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Phuket or Hay River, NT?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $721 there versus $1,143 in Hay River, NT.
How much does it cost to live in Phuket compared to Hay River, NT?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,294 in Phuket and $2,243 in Hay River, NT. That makes Phuket about 42% cheaper.
How expensive is transport in Phuket compared to Hay River, NT?
Public transport costs about 13% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Phuket or in Hay River, NT?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,294, than in Hay River, NT at $2,243. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hay River, NT it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Should I move to Phuket or to Hay River, NT?
If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hay River, NT makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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