Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mendrisio

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,278 a month against $3,064 in Mendrisio, rent and utilities included – about $21,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index
147

Cost of Living Index in Mendrisio
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Mendrisio Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

Mendrisio

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$3,064

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Mendrisio

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 Mendrisio actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,278 per month in Phuket vs $3,064 in Mendrisio, rent included.

Phuket $1,278
Mendrisio $3,064

A couple spends around $2,216 per month in Phuket vs $3,796 in Mendrisio, rent included.

Phuket $2,216
Mendrisio $3,796

A family of three spends $3,154 per month in Phuket vs $4,529 in Mendrisio, rent included.

Phuket $3,154
Mendrisio $4,529

Phuket is about 58% cheaper than Mendrisio, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Mendrisio is 125% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.47 ฿151

$34.70 CHF 28.62

-87.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.41 ฿1,093

$181 CHF 149

-82.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.81 ฿297

$19.12 CHF 15.77

-53.92%

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿95.4

$4.59 CHF 3.79

-38.34%

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

$0.87 ฿29.41

$5.57 CHF 4.60

-84.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.65

$4.42 CHF 3.64

-88.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 ฿86.3

$8.25 CHF 6.80

-68.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿124

$7.32 CHF 6.04

-49.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿55.9

$2.18 CHF 1.80

-23.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿49.31

$3.73 CHF 3.08

-60.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$4.20 CHF 3.46

-64.29%

Eggs

$2.09 ฿70.5

$7.08 CHF 5.84

-70.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.07 ฿643

$25.93 CHF 21.39

-26.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿111

$28.45 CHF 23.47

-88.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.91 ฿368

$39.42 CHF 32.52

-72.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 ฿98.9

$3.22 CHF 2.65

-9.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿57.0

$1.71 CHF 1.41

-1.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$2.46 CHF 2.03

-8.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿70.0

$6.44 CHF 5.31

-67.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ฿51.0

$1.85 CHF 1.53

-18.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.52

$2.12 CHF 1.75

-34.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.96

$2.48 CHF 2.04

-56.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.51

$1.23 CHF 1.01

-57.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ฿142

$10.71 CHF 8.83

-60.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿634

$14.56 CHF 12.01

29.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿61.5

$3.28 CHF 2.70

-44.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.8

$4.05 CHF 3.34

-29.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿48.98

$3.19 CHF 2.63

-54.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.7 ฿1,912

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿102

$7.07 CHF 5.83

-57.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.33

$5.71 CHF 4.71

-82.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 ฿125

$77.3 CHF 63.7

-95.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.76

$2.24 CHF 1.85

-34.38%

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

$26.8K ฿903.4K

$38.8K CHF 32.0K

-30.99%

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

$26.7K ฿900.5K

$39.1K CHF 32.3K

-31.75%

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

$96.4 ฿3,251

$305 CHF 251

-68.40%

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

$11.26 ฿380

$25.58 CHF 21.10

-55.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.85 ฿568

$48.83 CHF 40.28

-65.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 ฿2,268

$71.3 CHF 58.8

-5.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.73 ฿362

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 ฿253

$20.55 CHF 16.95

-63.50%

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

$476 ฿16.1K

$3,250 CHF 2,681

-85.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿380.0K

$37.7K CHF 31.1K

-70.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 ฿2,104

$107 CHF 88.5

-41.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.41 ฿958

$48.74 CHF 40.21

-41.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,181

$167 CHF 138

-43.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 ฿2,895

$171 CHF 141

-49.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 ฿24.2K

$1,410 CHF 1,163

-49.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 ฿16.6K

$1,216 CHF 1,003

-59.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,927 ฿65.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 ฿48.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,175 ฿140.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,045 ฿102.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿16.9K

$6,773 CHF 5,587

-92.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

2.37

135.02%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Mendrisio: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$491 38.4%

Mendrisio

$1.2K 39.7% 148% $726

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$266 20.8%

Mendrisio

$599 19.6% 125% $333

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$124 9.7%

Mendrisio

$379 12.4% 205% $255

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Mendrisio

$222 7.3% 82.4% $100

Eating Out

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Mendrisio

$486 15.9% 299% $364

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$82 6.4%

Mendrisio

$112 3.7% 36.7% $30

Getting Around

Phuket

$71 5.5%

Mendrisio

$48 * 1.6% 31.5% $22

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $716 in Phuket versus $1,410 in Mendrisio. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Mendrisio are about 13 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Phuket versus $181 in Mendrisio. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $266 vs $599 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇨🇭 Mendrisio

🕒 Local time

07:46 7:46 AM

01:46 1:46 AM

6 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

15,562

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Swiss Franc CHF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

1 CHF = 1.21 USD

1 CHF = 1.09 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CHF, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.67 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.825 CHF (1 CHF = 1.21 USD). 1 EUR = 0.921 CHF (1 CHF = 1.09 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Phuket Mendrisio 9,330 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Mendrisio

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 Mendrisio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mendrisio is pricier by about 140%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,917 per month in Phuket and $4,595 in Mendrisio. 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $716 there versus $1,410 in Mendrisio.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,278 in Phuket and $3,064 in Mendrisio. That makes Phuket about 58% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $476 per month in Phuket and $3,250 in Mendrisio. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,278, than in Mendrisio at $3,064. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mendrisio it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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