Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Montreux Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Montreux

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $3,525 in Montreux, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $5,306 in Montreux, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $7,088 in Montreux, rent included.

Phuket is about 65% cheaper than Montreux, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 10% below the global median, while Montreux is 158% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$31.18 CHF 25.74

-85.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$135 CHF 112

-76.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$18.32 CHF 15.12

-51.26%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$6.24 CHF 5.15

-53.53%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$5.22 CHF 4.31

-83.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$4.28 CHF 3.54

-88.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$10.09 CHF 8.33

-76.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$9.86 CHF 8.14

-62.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$2.26 CHF 1.86

-17.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$3.60 CHF 2.97

-59.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$3.25 CHF 2.69

-52.31%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$7.14 CHF 5.89

-70.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$25.65 CHF 21.17

-23.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$27.97 CHF 23.09

-87.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$40.15 CHF 33.14

-71.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$3.73 CHF 3.08

-20.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.71 CHF 1.41

-1.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$2.50 CHF 2.06

-11.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$4.51 CHF 3.72

-52.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$1.91 CHF 1.57

-20.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$2.07 CHF 1.71

-35.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$2.10 CHF 1.73

-46.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$1.77 CHF 1.46

-68.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$11.28 CHF 9.31

-62.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$12.30 CHF 10.15

55.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$2.73 CHF 2.25

-34.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$3.36 CHF 2.77

-17.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$4.46 CHF 3.68

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

$100 CHF 82.9

-77.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$7.86 CHF 6.48

-61.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$3.84 CHF 3.17

-73.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$64.4 CHF 53.2

-93.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$2.37 CHF 1.95

-37.13%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$39.5K CHF 32.6K

-32.77%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$40.9K CHF 33.7K

-33.90%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$294 CHF 242

-65.09%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$37.71 CHF 31.13

-69.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$51.6 CHF 42.60

-66.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$90.9 CHF 75.0

-42.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$46.17 CHF 38.11

-76.02%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$24.22 CHF 19.99

-68.25%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$2,433 CHF 2,008

-76.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$36.4K CHF 30.0K

-68.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$141 CHF 116

-55.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$80.1 CHF 66.1

-63.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$166 CHF 137

-40.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$192 CHF 158

-53.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$1,771 CHF 1,462

-58.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$1,481 CHF 1,222

-67.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$2,938 CHF 2,425

-28.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$2,555 CHF 2,109

-52.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$16.2K CHF 13.3K

-77.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$12.3K CHF 10.2K

-78.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$8,061 CHF 6,653

-93.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

1.95

185.64%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Montreux: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Phuket versus $1,771 in Montreux. 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 1533% higher in Montreux, 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 $135 in Montreux. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $583 – 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 Montreux: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Montreux is pricier by about 186%, 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 $5,288 in Montreux. 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.

Kindergarten costs $561 per month in Phuket and $2,433 in Montreux. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 113% more in Montreux, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,232, than in Montreux at $3,525. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreux 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, Montreux makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.