Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $2,063 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $3,159 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $4,255 in Montreal, rent included.

Phuket is about 39% cheaper than Montreal, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Montreal is 54% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$15.92 CA$22.14

-70.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$73.1 CA$102

-37.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$11.15 CA$15.50

-24.39%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$3.80 CA$5.29

-22.89%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$2.18 CA$3.03

-68.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$1.46 CA$2.03

-74.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$6.12 CA$8.51

-60.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$6.78 CA$9.42

-45.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$2.33 CA$3.24

-4.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$3.39 CA$4.72

-46.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$3.73 CA$5.19

-41.82%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$3.38 CA$4.70

-34.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$16.25 CA$22.60

21.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$11.54 CA$16.05

-68.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$15.24 CA$21.19

-11.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$3.74 CA$5.20

-12.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.70 CA$2.37

-5.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$4.11 CA$5.71

-41.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$4.35 CA$6.05

-52.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$2.71 CA$3.76

-43.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$2.62 CA$3.64

-43.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$2.25 CA$3.13

-56.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$1.73 CA$2.40

-70.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$13.31 CA$18.51

-66.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$10.78 CA$15.00

79.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$3.01 CA$4.19

-40.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$3.46 CA$4.82

-21.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$2.74 CA$3.81

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$72.7 CA$101

-84.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$3.63 CA$5.05

-16.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$1.46 CA$2.03

-32.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$33.44 CA$46.50

-57.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.21 CA$1.69

12.40%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$24.6K CA$34.3K

14.42%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$21.7K CA$30.2K

51.73%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$76.0 CA$106

60.09%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$35.72 CA$49.68

-62.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$42.86 CA$59.6

-57.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$42.92 CA$59.7

40.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$17.23 CA$23.97

-0.52%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$11.09 CA$15.42

-21.64%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$620 CA$862

11.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$5,834 CA$8,114

168.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$62.7 CA$87.1

-5.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$44.41 CA$61.8

-21.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$101 CA$140

13.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$119 CA$166

-30.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$1,211 CA$1,684

-49.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$960 CA$1,334

-54.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$2,035 CA$2,831

2.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$1,589 CA$2,210

-5.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$5,181 CA$7,205

-27.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$3,934 CA$5,470

-33.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$2,960 CA$4,116

-82.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.01

6.39%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Montreal: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $1,211 in Montreal. 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 483% higher in Montreal, 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 $73.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $392 – 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 Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal costs about 63% 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 $3,094 in Montreal. 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 34% more in Montreal, 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 $73.0 in Montreal. 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 Montreal at $2,063. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,265 versus $2,063 in Montreal. 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, Montreal makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.