Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mendrisio Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mendrisio

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $3,129 in Mendrisio, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $3,879 in Mendrisio, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $4,630 in Mendrisio, rent included.

Phuket is about 61% cheaper than Mendrisio, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 10% below the global median, while Mendrisio is 129% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$34.64 CHF 28.59

-87.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$178 CHF 147

-81.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$19.80 CHF 16.34

-54.90%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$4.63 CHF 3.82

-37.37%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$5.09 CHF 4.20

-82.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$4.06 CHF 3.35

-88.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$8.58 CHF 7.08

-72.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$7.44 CHF 6.14

-50.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$2.29 CHF 1.89

-18.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$3.80 CHF 3.14

-61.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$4.21 CHF 3.47

-63.18%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$7.16 CHF 5.91

-70.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$25.68 CHF 21.20

-23.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$29.23 CHF 24.13

-88.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$41.35 CHF 34.13

-72.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$3.33 CHF 2.75

-10.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.63 CHF 1.35

3.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$2.57 CHF 2.13

-14.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$5.98 CHF 4.94

-63.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$1.88 CHF 1.55

-19.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$2.20 CHF 1.81

-39.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$2.38 CHF 1.96

-52.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$1.16 CHF 0.96

-52.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$10.80 CHF 8.91

-60.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$12.31 CHF 10.16

55.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$2.85 CHF 2.35

-37.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$3.91 CHF 3.23

-28.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$3.12 CHF 2.57

-28.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$7.36 CHF 6.07

-58.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$5.80 CHF 4.79

-82.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$78.5 CHF 64.8

-95.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$2.19 CHF 1.81

-31.96%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$35.9K CHF 29.6K

-25.94%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$40.0K CHF 33.0K

-32.40%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$296 CHF 244

-65.33%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$22.84 CHF 18.85

-50.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$50.3 CHF 41.51

-65.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$72.7 CHF 60.0

-28.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$20.44 CHF 16.87

-62.38%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$1,248 CHF 1,030

-55.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$34.0K CHF 28.1K

-66.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$164 CHF 136

-61.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$56.0 CHF 46.26

-47.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$192 CHF 159

-49.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$150 CHF 124

-41.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$1,411 CHF 1,165

-47.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$1,222 CHF 1,009

-60.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$6,895 CHF 5,691

-92.84%

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: September 15, 2026

Last update for Mendrisio: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Phuket versus $1,411 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 run about 1297% higher in Mendrisio, 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $178 in Mendrisio. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $600 – 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 Mendrisio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mendrisio is pricier by about 154%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $4,694 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,232 in Phuket and $3,129 in Mendrisio. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $561 per month in Phuket and $1,248 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 $1,232, than in Mendrisio at $3,129. 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 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, Mendrisio makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.