Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Saint John, New Brunswick

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,207 a month against $1,934 in Saint John, New Brunswick, rent and utilities included – about $8,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,207
/mo nomad
Saint John, New Brunswick
🇨🇦 Canada
$1,934
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Saint John, New Brunswick

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 Saint John, New Brunswick actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,207 in Phuket versus $1,934 in Saint John, New Brunswick.

  • Phuket $1,207
  • Saint John, New Brunswick $1,934

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,037 in Phuket versus $2,885 in Saint John, New Brunswick.

  • Phuket $2,037
  • Saint John, New Brunswick $2,885

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,867 in Phuket versus $3,836 in Saint John, New Brunswick.

  • Phuket $2,867
  • Saint John, New Brunswick $3,836

Living in Phuket costs roughly 38% less than in Saint John, New Brunswick, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 11% below, Saint John, New Brunswick is 43% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Saint John, New Brunswick
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.58 ฿153
$18.31 CA$25.89
-74.99%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.48 ฿1,086
$59.0 CA$83.5
-44.99%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.55 ฿286
$10.43 CA$14.75
-18.02%
Cappuccino
$2.72 ฿91.0
$3.00 CA$4.25
-9.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94 ฿31.25
$1.69 CA$2.39
-44.38%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.39
$1.06 CA$1.50
-53.77%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.59 ฿86.6
$4.43 CA$6.26
-41.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.83 ฿128
$5.01 CA$7.08
-23.55%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Saint John, New Brunswick
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.74 ฿58.1
$2.17 CA$3.07
-19.82%
White Bread (500g)
$1.43 ฿47.82
$2.67 CA$3.77
-46.44%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.53 ฿51.0
$3.12 CA$4.41
-50.96%
Eggs
$2.17 ฿72.7
$3.45 CA$4.88
-37.10%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.15 ฿640
$13.17 CA$18.61
45.41%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿110
$11.72 CA$16.56
-71.84%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.14 ฿372
$12.78 CA$18.06
-12.83%
Apples (1kg)
$2.95 ฿98.5
$4.79 CA$6.77
-38.41%
Banana (1kg)
$1.68 ฿56.1
$1.47 CA$2.08
14.29%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.30 ฿76.8
$4.18 CA$5.91
-44.98%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.13 ฿71.3
$3.90 CA$5.51
-45.38%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 ฿51.1
$2.00 CA$2.83
-23.50%
Onion (1kg)
$1.36 ฿45.55
$2.20 CA$3.11
-38.18%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 ฿37.44
$2.47 CA$3.49
-54.66%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 ฿18.24
$1.41 CA$1.99
-60.99%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26 ฿142
$13.92 CA$19.67
-69.40%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.19 ฿608
$9.90 CA$13.99
83.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.74 ฿58.2
$1.79 CA$2.53
-2.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.79 ฿93.3
$2.12 CA$3.00
31.60%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Saint John, New Brunswick
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.22 ฿74.1
$2.06 CA$2.92
7.77%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.06 ฿737
$56.0 CA$79.2
-60.63%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.91 ฿97.3
$2.92 CA$4.13
-0.34%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.01 ฿33.79
$1.06 CA$1.50
-4.72%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.83 ฿128
$17.34 CA$24.52
-77.91%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.49 ฿49.85
$1.25 CA$1.76
19.20%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.7K ฿891.6K
$24.3K CA$34.4K
9.65%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿892.7K
$18.8K CA$26.6K
42.10%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Saint John, New Brunswick
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$99.4 ฿3,321
$120 CA$169
-16.85%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.28 ฿377
$41.55 CA$58.7
-72.85%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.36 ฿580
$64.7 CA$91.4
-73.16%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Saint John, New Brunswick
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.3 ฿1,747
$52.3 CA$73.9
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.85 ฿362
$35.03 CA$49.52
-69.03%
Cinema Ticket
$7.57 ฿253
$12.78 CA$18.07
-40.77%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Saint John, New Brunswick
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$558 ฿18.7K
$378 CA$534
47.72%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.5K ฿383.9K
$11.1K CA$15.7K
3.28%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Saint John, New Brunswick
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.9 ฿2,102
$48.34 CA$68.3
30.08%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.58 ฿955
$35.16 CA$49.71
-18.71%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.1 ฿3,213
$103 CA$145
-6.44%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.1 ฿2,943
$106 CA$150
-16.85%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Saint John, New Brunswick
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$729 ฿24.4K
$990 CA$1,400
-26.33%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$460 ฿15.4K
$819 CA$1,158
-43.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,096 ฿70.0K
$1,610 CA$2,277
30.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,222 ฿40.8K
$1,304 CA$1,843
-6.27%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,459 ฿115.6K
$2,018 CA$2,854
71.37%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,489 ฿83.2K
$2,093 CA$2,959
18.90%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Saint John, New Brunswick
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$493 ฿16.5K
$2,402 CA$3,396
-79.48%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
4.69
18.76%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 13, 2026

Last update for Saint John, New Brunswick: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$460
Saint John, New Brunswick
$819 78% $359
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$268
Saint John, New Brunswick
$350 30.9% $83
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$128
Saint John, New Brunswick
$226 76.3% $98
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$124
Saint John, New Brunswick
$131 6% $7.4
Eating Out
Phuket
$121
Saint John, New Brunswick
$257 112% $136
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$67
Saint John, New Brunswick
$78 15.5% $10
Getting Around
Phuket
$39
Saint John, New Brunswick
$73 86.5% $34

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $729 in Phuket and $990 in Saint John, New Brunswick. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint John, New Brunswick pays 387% 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 $59.0 in Saint John, New Brunswick for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $350 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇨🇦 Saint John, New Brunswick
🕒 Local time
16:23 4:23 PM
06:23 6:23 AM
10 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
70,063
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Saint John, New Brunswick 13,900 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Saint John, New Brunswick

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 Saint John, New Brunswick: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Saint John, New Brunswick cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 60% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Saint John, New Brunswick?
On paper, salaries run 387% lower in Saint John, New Brunswick. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Saint John, New Brunswick?
Rent for a central apartment: $729 in Phuket versus $990 in Saint John, New Brunswick. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $558 in Phuket versus $378 in Saint John, New Brunswick. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and in Saint John, New Brunswick?
Supermarket bills run roughly 31% higher in Saint John, New Brunswick. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Saint John, New Brunswick?
At $1,207 in Phuket versus $1,934 in Saint John, New Brunswick, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Saint John, New Brunswick. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Saint John, New Brunswick more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Saint John, New Brunswick, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Saint John, New Brunswick?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Saint John, New Brunswick are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Saint John, New Brunswick. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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