Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Port Alberni Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Port Alberni

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,769 in Port Alberni.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,078 in Phuket versus $2,961 in Port Alberni.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,896 in Phuket versus $4,154 in Port Alberni.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 29% less than in Port Alberni, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 8% below, Port Alberni is 29% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.43 ฿145

$18.32 CA$25.25

-75.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.07 ฿1,151

$61.9 CA$85.3

-43.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 ฿294

$10.73 CA$14.79

-16.50%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.4

$4.35 CA$6.00

-31.03%

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

$0.77 ฿25.33

$2.20 CA$3.03

-65.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ฿15.44

$1.42 CA$1.96

-66.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 ฿78.6

$3.69 CA$5.08

-34.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿123

$5.35 CA$7.37

-29.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 ฿59.8

$2.41 CA$3.32

-24.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 ฿46.65

$2.46 CA$3.39

-42.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.8

$2.87 CA$3.95

-45.99%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$4.03 CA$5.55

-47.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.76 ฿648

$9.32 CA$12.84

112.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿114

$4.29 CA$5.91

-18.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.09 ฿364

$20.93 CA$28.83

-47.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 ฿95.5

$2.90 CA$4.00

0.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ฿54.6

$1.10 CA$1.51

50.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿74.5

$3.61 CA$4.97

-37.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 ฿68.8

$3.52 CA$4.85

-40.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.24

$2.11 CA$2.91

-30.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 ฿46.29

$1.84 CA$2.53

-23.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ฿35.78

$2.18 CA$3.01

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ฿17.58

$0.71 CA$0.97

-23.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.48 ฿147

$10.91 CA$15.03

-58.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.72 ฿614

$10.61 CA$14.62

76.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿60.4

$3.00 CA$4.14

-38.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 ฿96.7

$3.26 CA$4.49

-9.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 ฿74.1

$1.45 CA$2.00

55.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.07 ฿757

$34.82 CA$47.98

-33.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ฿99.9

$2.79 CA$3.84

8.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 ฿35.82

$1.69 CA$2.32

-35.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 ฿125

$32.39 CA$44.62

-88.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿48.79

$1.14 CA$1.57

30.70%

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

$27.4K ฿900.3K

$28.7K CA$39.6K

-4.41%

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

$27.5K ฿902.7K

$20.9K CA$28.8K

31.41%

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

$102 ฿3,340

$82.3 CA$113

23.65%

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

$11.28 ฿370

$37.16 CA$51.2

-69.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.75 ฿582

$54.5 CA$75.1

-67.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 ฿1,777

$42.71 CA$58.8

26.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.96 ฿360

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 ฿258

$12.74 CA$17.56

-38.38%

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

$577 ฿18.9K

$1,148 CA$1,582

-49.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿381.6K

$21.1K CA$29.0K

-44.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 ฿2,144

$64.8 CA$89.2

0.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.89 ฿948

$39.68 CA$54.7

-27.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 ฿3,250

$95.9 CA$132

3.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,961

$109 CA$150

-16.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$756 ฿24.8K

$807 CA$1,111

-6.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 ฿16.0K

$708 CA$975

-31.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿68.4K

$1,749 CA$2,410

19.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 ฿39.6K

$1,740 CA$2,398

-30.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,591 ฿117.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,610 ฿85.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿16.5K

$3,168 CA$4,365

-84.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.32

28.94%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 18, 2026

Last update for Port Alberni: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $756 in Phuket and $807 in Port Alberni. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Port Alberni pays 531% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $35.00 in Phuket vs $62.0 in Port Alberni for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $312 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

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 Port Alberni: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 40% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 531% lower in Port Alberni. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $756 in Phuket versus $807 in Port Alberni. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $577 in Phuket versus $1,148 in Port Alberni. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Port Alberni. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,769 in Port Alberni, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Port Alberni. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Port Alberni, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Port Alberni are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Port Alberni. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.