Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Medicine Hat Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Medicine Hat

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $1,870 in Medicine Hat, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $2,748 in Medicine Hat, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $3,625 in Medicine Hat, rent included.

Phuket is about 32% cheaper than Medicine Hat, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Medicine Hat is 40% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$15.57 CA$21.65

-69.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$71.3 CA$99.2

-36.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$8.16 CA$11.35

3.31%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$3.72 CA$5.17

-21.24%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 ฿22.40

$1.99 CA$2.77

-65.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$1.72 CA$2.39

-78.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$5.06 CA$7.04

-52.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$3.93 CA$5.47

-5.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.55 CA$2.15

43.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.82 CA$2.53

0.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$3.42 CA$4.75

-36.55%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$3.22 CA$4.48

-31.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$8.18 CA$11.37

141.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$11.25 CA$15.65

-67.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$13.38 CA$18.61

1.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$3.83 CA$5.33

-14.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.34 CA$1.86

20.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$2.51 CA$3.49

-3.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$3.34 CA$4.65

-37.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$1.49 CA$2.07

2.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$1.53 CA$2.13

-3.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$2.64 CA$3.68

-62.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$1.56 CA$2.16

-67.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$11.73 CA$16.32

-62.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$13.06 CA$18.16

48.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$2.64 CA$3.67

-32.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$3.66 CA$5.09

-25.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$2.34 CA$3.25

-41.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$51.0 CA$70.9

-77.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$3.59 CA$4.99

-15.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$1.30 CA$1.81

-23.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$29.19 CA$40.60

-51.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.06 CA$1.47

28.30%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$25.0K CA$34.7K

12.93%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$22.2K CA$30.8K

48.42%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$122 ฿3,975

$212 CA$295

-42.68%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.57 ฿443

$41.51 CA$57.7

-67.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$59.0 CA$82.1

-68.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$57.3 CA$79.7

5.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$37.53 CA$52.2

-54.33%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$12.28 CA$17.07

-29.23%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$693 ฿22.6K

$877 CA$1,220

-20.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$15.8K CA$22.0K

-0.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$53.2 CA$74.0

11.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$27.81 CA$38.67

25.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$69.3 CA$96.4

65.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$70.0 CA$97.3

19.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$815 CA$1,134

-24.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$730 CA$1,016

-40.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$1,406 CA$1,955

48.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$1,201 CA$1,670

25.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$1,371 CA$1,907

173.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$1,972 CA$2,742

32.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$2,997 CA$4,168

-83.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.71

-6.65%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Medicine Hat: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $815 in Medicine Hat. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 490% higher in Medicine Hat, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket versus $71.0 in Medicine Hat. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $319 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Medicine Hat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medicine Hat costs about 48% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $2,805 in Medicine Hat. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,265 in Phuket and $1,870 in Medicine Hat. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 348% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Medicine Hat at $1,870. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medicine Hat it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,265 versus $1,870 in Medicine Hat. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medicine Hat makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.