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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $2,925 in Mendrisio, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $4,848 in Mendrisio, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $6,771 in Mendrisio, rent included.

Phuket is about 57% cheaper than Mendrisio, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Mendrisio is 119% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$30.74 CHF 24.85

-85.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,554

$186 CHF 151

-75.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿298

$18.80 CHF 15.20

-52.98%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$4.34 CHF 3.51

-29.49%

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

$0.73 ฿24.42

$4.29 CHF 3.47

-82.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.40

$3.66 CHF 2.96

-89.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$6.11 CHF 4.94

-60.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$6.05 CHF 4.89

-37.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.26 CHF 1.02

79.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$3.59 CHF 2.90

-49.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$4.92 CHF 3.98

-54.27%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.6

$3.65 CHF 2.95

-38.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$26.96 CHF 21.80

-27.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$15.25 CHF 12.33

-76.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$47.08 CHF 38.07

-72.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$3.16 CHF 2.56

2.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$2.03 CHF 1.64

-20.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.2

$2.48 CHF 2.01

-4.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.2

$5.52 CHF 4.46

-63.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$2.19 CHF 1.77

-30.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$2.33 CHF 1.88

-35.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.93

$2.59 CHF 2.09

-62.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.40

$1.24 CHF 1.00

-58.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$11.05 CHF 8.94

-59.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$12.64 CHF 10.22

44.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$2.63 CHF 2.12

-29.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.2

$4.20 CHF 3.40

-36.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.49

$3.26 CHF 2.63

-56.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

$97.0 CHF 78.4

-87.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$6.68 CHF 5.40

-53.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.08

$4.33 CHF 3.50

-75.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿475

$61.4 CHF 49.66

-77.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.13

$2.22 CHF 1.80

-40.99%

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

$27.8K ฿936.0K

$40.6K CHF 32.8K

-31.48%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$37.0K CHF 29.9K

-10.18%

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

$122 ฿4,120

$203 CHF 164

-39.75%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$29.66 CHF 23.98

-54.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$49.56 CHF 40.07

-62.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,035

$75.0 CHF 60.7

-19.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$18.57 CHF 15.01

-51.16%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$1,255 CHF 1,015

-43.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.8K

$34.9K CHF 28.2K

-54.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,970

$123 CHF 99.5

-52.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,190

$47.26 CHF 38.21

-25.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,885

$131 CHF 106

-11.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,818

$153 CHF 123

-45.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.1K

$1,409 CHF 1,139

-55.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$1,234 CHF 998

-63.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.7K

$2,856 CHF 2,309

-28.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$2,475 CHF 2,001

-39.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$6,924 CHF 5,598

-92.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

2.5

113.20%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mendrisio: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Phuket versus $1,409 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 1285% 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $186 in Mendrisio. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $530 – 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 134%, 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 $1,875 per month in Phuket and $4,387 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.

Groceries cost about 83% more in Mendrisio, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket and $186 in Mendrisio. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,250, than in Mendrisio at $2,925. 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.