Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Quesnel Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Quesnel

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,456 in Quesnel.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $3,465 in Quesnel.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $4,475 in Quesnel.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 48% less than in Quesnel, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Quesnel is 83% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$18.78 CA$26.09

-74.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,483

$48.30 CA$67.1

-6.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$11.29 CA$15.69

-25.33%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.7

$4.27 CA$5.93

-31.38%

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

$0.69 ฿22.42

$2.13 CA$2.96

-67.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.00

$1.68 CA$2.33

-77.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$4.43 CA$6.16

-45.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$6.06 CA$8.41

-38.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.0

$2.86 CA$3.97

-22.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.9

$2.82 CA$3.92

-35.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.9

$5.20 CA$7.22

-58.27%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.4

$4.13 CA$5.74

-46.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$6.91 CA$9.60

185.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$8.62 CA$11.98

-57.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$10.90 CA$15.15

24.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$4.54 CA$6.31

-27.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$1.37 CA$1.91

17.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$4.58 CA$6.37

-47.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$4.10 CA$5.69

-49.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.97

$4.34 CA$6.02

-64.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.41

$3.60 CA$5.00

-58.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.32

$3.38 CA$4.69

-70.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.68

$1.69 CA$2.35

-69.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$12.71 CA$17.66

-65.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿634

$10.83 CA$15.04

78.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$2.91 CA$4.05

-38.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.7

$4.87 CA$6.77

-44.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.83

$1.81 CA$2.52

-24.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$63.7 CA$88.5

-82.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.7

$2.64 CA$3.66

14.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.51

$2.06 CA$2.87

-51.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$43.73 CA$60.8

-67.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.55

$1.24 CA$1.72

9.68%

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

$28.2K ฿921.9K

$25.2K CA$35.0K

12.08%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$18.6K CA$25.9K

76.44%

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

$122 ฿3,978

$221 CA$307

-44.92%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$43.95 CA$61.1

-69.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿599

$67.8 CA$94.1

-72.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,969

$74.6 CA$104

-19.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$10.21 CA$14.18

-14.89%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$554 CA$770

25.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.8K

$11.6K CA$16.1K

34.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,946

$38.50 CA$53.5

54.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,137

$58.7 CA$81.6

-40.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,746

$79.6 CA$111

44.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,723

$111 CA$154

-24.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$954 CA$1,325

-35.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$1,186 CA$1,647

-63.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.5K

$2,051 CA$2,850

2.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$1,822 CA$2,532

-17.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

$4,391 CA$6,100

-14.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

$3,722 CA$5,172

-29.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$2,426 CA$3,371

-79.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.46

-17.49%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Quesnel: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $954 in Quesnel. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Quesnel pays 377% 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: $45.00 in Phuket vs $48.00 in Quesnel for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $360 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 Quesnel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 94% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Quesnel earns 377% less. 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: $613 in Phuket versus $954 in Quesnel. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $554 in Quesnel. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Quesnel. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,456 in Quesnel, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Quesnel. 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 Quesnel, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Quesnel 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 94% less than in Quesnel. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.