Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Scarborough Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Scarborough

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,549 in Scarborough.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $3,496 in Scarborough.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $4,443 in Scarborough.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 52% less than in Scarborough, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 10% below, Scarborough is 86% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$17.54 CA$24.54

-74.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$71.7 CA$100

-54.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$10.85 CA$15.18

-17.70%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$4.09 CA$5.72

-29.10%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$2.10 CA$2.94

-58.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$1.41 CA$1.97

-65.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$6.44 CA$9.01

-63.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$7.01 CA$9.81

-46.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$2.78 CA$3.88

-32.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$2.63 CA$3.68

-44.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$2.59 CA$3.63

-40.15%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$3.85 CA$5.39

-45.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$10.07 CA$14.08

94.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$11.16 CA$15.62

-69.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$13.51 CA$18.90

-15.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$3.51 CA$4.91

-15.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.20 CA$1.69

40.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$3.41 CA$4.77

-35.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$4.10 CA$5.74

-47.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$1.85 CA$2.59

-17.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$1.53 CA$2.15

-12.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$2.36 CA$3.30

-52.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$1.49 CA$2.09

-63.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$14.61 CA$20.44

-70.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$12.78 CA$17.88

49.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$2.23 CA$3.11

-20.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$2.54 CA$3.55

9.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$2.41 CA$3.37

-7.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

$109 CA$153

-79.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$3.02 CA$4.22

0.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$1.27 CA$1.78

-19.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$22.04 CA$30.83

-82.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$1.22 CA$1.71

22.13%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$26.9K CA$37.6K

-1.12%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$20.7K CA$28.9K

30.79%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$145 CA$202

-29.10%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$36.27 CA$50.7

-68.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$48.71 CA$68.1

-64.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$35.49 CA$49.64

46.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$35.78 CA$50.1

-69.06%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$13.01 CA$18.20

-40.89%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$788 CA$1,103

-28.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$10.8K CA$15.1K

6.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$53.9 CA$75.4

16.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$41.60 CA$58.2

-29.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$86.1 CA$120

13.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$106 CA$148

-16.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$1,732 CA$2,423

-57.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$1,374 CA$1,922

-64.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$2,128 CA$2,977

-1.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$1,771 CA$2,478

-30.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$7,645 CA$10.7K

-52.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$6,108 CA$8,545

-57.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$3,020 CA$4,225

-83.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.51

23.50%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Scarborough: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $1,732 in Scarborough. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Scarborough pays 512% 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 $72.0 in Scarborough for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $343 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 Scarborough: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 107% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 512% lower in Scarborough. 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: $738 in Phuket versus $1,732 in Scarborough. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $788 in Scarborough. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 25% higher in Scarborough. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,549 in Scarborough, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Scarborough. 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 Scarborough, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Scarborough 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 107% less than in Scarborough. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.