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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $3,993 in Montreux, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $5,756 in Montreux, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $7,519 in Montreux, rent included.

Phuket is about 69% cheaper than Montreux, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Montreux is 199% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$30.86 CHF 24.99

-85.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$148 CHF 120

-68.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$18.76 CHF 15.20

-52.88%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$6.09 CHF 4.93

-49.75%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$5.51 CHF 4.46

-86.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$4.90 CHF 3.97

-91.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$10.00 CHF 8.10

-75.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$8.49 CHF 6.88

-55.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$2.26 CHF 1.83

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$3.86 CHF 3.12

-53.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$4.39 CHF 3.56

-48.75%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$7.29 CHF 5.91

-69.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$28.22 CHF 22.86

-30.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$28.54 CHF 23.11

-87.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$43.93 CHF 35.58

-70.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$4.02 CHF 3.26

-19.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$2.16 CHF 1.75

-25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$2.91 CHF 2.36

-18.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$6.64 CHF 5.38

-69.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$3.15 CHF 2.55

-51.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$2.41 CHF 1.95

-37.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$2.53 CHF 2.05

-61.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$1.57 CHF 1.27

-66.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$11.06 CHF 8.96

-59.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$13.75 CHF 11.14

33.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$2.04 CHF 1.65

-8.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$3.11 CHF 2.52

-13.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$4.15 CHF 3.36

-66.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$91.3 CHF 73.9

-87.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$7.97 CHF 6.45

-60.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$4.13 CHF 3.35

-74.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$66.8 CHF 54.1

-78.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$2.24 CHF 1.81

-41.52%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$40.4K CHF 32.8K

-31.21%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$41.1K CHF 33.3K

-19.13%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$298 CHF 241

-58.85%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$50.9 CHF 41.22

-73.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$57.7 CHF 46.73

-67.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$80.5 CHF 65.2

-24.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$37.31 CHF 30.22

-54.49%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$22.78 CHF 18.45

-60.18%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$2,625 CHF 2,126

-73.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$34.5K CHF 27.9K

-54.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$110 CHF 89.2

-46.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$70.7 CHF 57.3

-49.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$177 CHF 143

-34.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$184 CHF 149

-54.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$2,182 CHF 1,767

-71.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$1,999 CHF 1,619

-77.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$3,322 CHF 2,691

-38.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$2,802 CHF 2,269

-46.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$16.2K CHF 13.1K

-78.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$12.2K CHF 9,920

-78.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$7,997 CHF 6,478

-93.75%

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 Montreux: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Phuket versus $2,182 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 1500% 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $148 in Montreux. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $632 – 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 219%, 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 $5,990 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 $706 per month in Phuket and $2,625 in Montreux. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 119% 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 $1,250, than in Montreux at $3,993. 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.