Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Port Alberni

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,207 a month against $1,670 in Port Alberni, rent and utilities included – about $5,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

59

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index
81

Cost of Living Index in Port Alberni
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Port Alberni Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,207

/mo nomad

Port Alberni

🇨🇦 Canada

$1,670

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Port Alberni

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Port Alberni actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,207 in Phuket versus $1,670 in Port Alberni.

Phuket $1,207
Port Alberni $1,670

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,037 in Phuket versus $2,790 in Port Alberni.

Phuket $2,037
Port Alberni $2,790

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,867 in Phuket versus $3,911 in Port Alberni.

Phuket $2,867
Port Alberni $3,911

Living in Phuket costs roughly 28% less than in Port Alberni, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 11% below, Port Alberni is 24% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.58 ฿154

$17.48 CA$24.85

-73.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.48 ฿1,091

$61.2 CA$87.0

-46.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.55 ฿287

$10.46 CA$14.87

-18.26%

Cappuccino

$2.72 ฿91.5

$3.89 CA$5.54

-30.08%

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

$0.94 ฿31.41

$2.04 CA$2.90

-53.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.48

$1.38 CA$1.97

-64.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 ฿87.0

$3.44 CA$4.89

-24.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 ฿129

$5.40 CA$7.68

-29.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 ฿58.4

$2.14 CA$3.04

-18.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ฿48.07

$2.28 CA$3.24

-37.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.3

$2.73 CA$3.88

-43.96%

Eggs

$2.17 ฿73.1

$3.93 CA$5.59

-44.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.15 ฿643

$8.94 CA$12.70

114.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿111

$4.09 CA$5.81

-19.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.14 ฿374

$19.41 CA$27.58

-42.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿99.0

$2.73 CA$3.87

8.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.4

$1.06 CA$1.51

58.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 ฿77.2

$3.40 CA$4.83

-32.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿71.6

$3.59 CA$5.10

-40.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.4

$2.07 CA$2.94

-26.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿45.78

$1.85 CA$2.63

-26.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ฿37.63

$2.16 CA$3.07

-48.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.33

$0.68 CA$0.97

-19.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿143

$10.54 CA$14.98

-59.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.19 ฿611

$10.33 CA$14.69

76.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ฿58.5

$2.51 CA$3.56

-30.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 ฿93.8

$2.86 CA$4.07

-2.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿74.4

$1.42 CA$2.02

56.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.06 ฿741

$33.09 CA$47.03

-33.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 ฿97.8

$2.68 CA$3.81

8.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 ฿33.97

$1.56 CA$2.21

-35.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.83 ฿129

$31.01 CA$44.07

-87.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿50.1

$1.20 CA$1.70

24.17%

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

$26.7K ฿896.2K

$27.5K CA$39.1K

-3.14%

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

$26.7K ฿897.2K

$19.5K CA$27.7K

36.85%

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

$99.4 ฿3,338

$81.8 CA$116

21.42%

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

$11.28 ฿379

$36.45 CA$51.8

-69.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.36 ฿583

$51.0 CA$72.5

-65.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 ฿1,756

$42.83 CA$60.9

22.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.85 ฿364

Cinema Ticket

$7.57 ฿254

$12.16 CA$17.28

-37.75%

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

$558 ฿18.8K

$1,087 CA$1,545

-48.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿385.9K

$19.9K CA$28.3K

-42.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 ฿2,112

$58.2 CA$82.7

8.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.58 ฿960

$32.34 CA$45.96

-11.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.1 ฿3,229

$95.4 CA$136

0.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.1 ฿2,958

$93.7 CA$133

-6.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$729 ฿24.5K

$790 CA$1,122

-7.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$460 ฿15.5K

$705 CA$1,002

-34.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,096 ฿70.4K

$1,660 CA$2,359

26.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,222 ฿41.1K

$1,673 CA$2,378

-26.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,459 ฿116.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,489 ฿83.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$493 ฿16.6K

$3,045 CA$4,328

-83.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.28

30.14%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 13, 2026

Last update for Port Alberni: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$460 38.1%

Port Alberni

$705 42.2% 53.3% $245

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$268 22.2%

Port Alberni

$293 17.6% 9.7% $26

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$128 10.6%

Port Alberni

$169 10.1% 32.3% $41

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$124 10.3%

Port Alberni

$126 7.5% 1.4% $1.8

Eating Out

Phuket

$121 10.1%

Port Alberni

$260 15.6% 114% $138

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$67 5.6%

Port Alberni

$67 4% 0.4% $0.3

Getting Around

Phuket

$39 3.2%

Port Alberni

$49 3% 26.6% $10

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $729 in Phuket and $790 in Port Alberni. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Port Alberni pays 518% 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $61.0 in Port Alberni for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $293 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇨🇦 Port Alberni

🕒 Local time

10:22 10:22 AM

20:22 8:22 PM

14 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

17,743

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.98 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 CAD = 0.704 USD

1 CAD = 0.628 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 33.59 THB (100 THB = 2.98 USD). 1 EUR = 37.61 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 1.42 CAD (1 CAD = 0.704 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.628 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Phuket Port Alberni 12,410 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Port Alberni

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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, clothing, and eating out. The 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 518% 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: $729 in Phuket versus $790 in Port Alberni. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $558 in Phuket versus $1,087 in Port Alberni. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Port Alberni. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,207 in Phuket versus $1,670 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 38% less than in Port Alberni. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.