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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $2,891 in Mendrisio, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $4,788 in Mendrisio, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $6,685 in Mendrisio, rent included.

Phuket is about 56% cheaper than Mendrisio, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Mendrisio is 116% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$31.18 CHF 24.67

-84.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,483

$187 CHF 148

-75.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$18.74 CHF 14.82

-55.02%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.7

$4.32 CHF 3.41

-32.18%

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

$0.69 ฿22.42

$4.27 CHF 3.38

-83.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.00

$3.79 CHF 2.99

-90.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$5.99 CHF 4.74

-59.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$6.29 CHF 4.98

-40.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.0

$1.26 CHF 1.00

76.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.9

$3.48 CHF 2.76

-47.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.9

$4.66 CHF 3.69

-53.43%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.4

$3.65 CHF 2.89

-39.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$26.69 CHF 21.12

-26.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$15.17 CHF 12.00

-76.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$48.25 CHF 38.17

-71.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$3.14 CHF 2.49

4.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$2.04 CHF 1.61

-21.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$2.52 CHF 1.99

-4.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$5.46 CHF 4.32

-61.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.97

$2.17 CHF 1.72

-29.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.41

$2.34 CHF 1.85

-36.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.32

$2.62 CHF 2.07

-62.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.68

$1.29 CHF 1.02

-60.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$11.10 CHF 8.78

-60.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿634

$12.96 CHF 10.25

49.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$2.69 CHF 2.13

-33.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.7

$4.08 CHF 3.23

-33.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.83

$3.21 CHF 2.54

-57.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$99.3 CHF 78.6

-88.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.7

$6.88 CHF 5.44

-56.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.51

$4.40 CHF 3.48

-77.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$61.3 CHF 48.48

-76.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.55

$2.23 CHF 1.76

-39.01%

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

$28.2K ฿921.9K

$39.7K CHF 31.4K

-28.91%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$37.2K CHF 29.5K

-11.64%

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

$122 ฿3,978

$203 CHF 161

-40.03%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$29.92 CHF 23.67

-54.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿599

$49.39 CHF 39.07

-62.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,969

$74.2 CHF 58.7

-18.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$18.16 CHF 14.37

-52.15%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$1,233 CHF 975

-43.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.8K

$34.5K CHF 27.3K

-54.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,946

$123 CHF 97.0

-51.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,137

$47.84 CHF 37.85

-27.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,746

$136 CHF 108

-15.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,723

$150 CHF 119

-44.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$1,425 CHF 1,128

-56.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$1,225 CHF 969

-64.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.5K

$2,864 CHF 2,266

-26.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$2,469 CHF 1,953

-38.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$7,182 CHF 5,681

-92.92%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Mendrisio: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $1,425 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 1313% 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 $45.00 in Phuket versus $187 in Mendrisio. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $531 – 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 129%, 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 $1,898 per month in Phuket and $4,337 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 81% 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 $45.00 in Phuket and $187 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 $1,265, than in Mendrisio at $2,891. 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.