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: $1,250 in Phuket versus $2,651 in Scarborough.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $3,499 in Scarborough.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $4,347 in Scarborough.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 53% less than in Scarborough, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Scarborough is 98% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$18.25 CA$25.68

-75.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$80.6 CA$113

-42.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$11.11 CA$15.63

-20.43%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$4.05 CA$5.70

-24.44%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$2.16 CA$3.03

-66.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$1.45 CA$2.04

-72.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$5.93 CA$8.34

-59.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$6.73 CA$9.47

-43.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$2.37 CA$3.34

-4.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$2.55 CA$3.59

-29.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$2.80 CA$3.94

-19.64%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$3.53 CA$4.96

-36.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$13.73 CA$19.31

42.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$11.48 CA$16.16

-68.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$14.50 CA$20.40

-10.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$3.44 CA$4.84

-6.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.18 CA$1.65

37.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$2.96 CA$4.17

-19.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$3.40 CA$4.78

-40.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.64 CA$2.30

-6.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$2.59 CA$3.65

-42.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$2.17 CA$3.05

-54.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$1.59 CA$2.23

-67.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$13.41 CA$18.87

-66.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$12.71 CA$17.88

44.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$2.46 CA$3.46

-24.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$2.56 CA$3.60

4.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$2.48 CA$3.49

-43.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$104 CA$147

-88.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$3.18 CA$4.47

-2.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$1.19 CA$1.67

-12.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$22.73 CA$31.98

-37.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.09 CA$1.54

20.18%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$25.3K CA$35.6K

10.09%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$21.3K CA$30.0K

56.00%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$176 CA$248

-30.61%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$42.59 CA$59.9

-68.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$53.8 CA$75.7

-65.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$37.07 CA$52.2

63.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$14.01 CA$19.71

-35.26%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$846 CA$1,191

-16.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$11.0K CA$15.5K

43.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$57.6 CA$81.1

1.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$42.87 CA$60.3

-17.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$87.3 CA$123

32.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$102 CA$144

-18.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$1,756 CA$2,471

-64.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$1,386 CA$1,950

-67.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$2,226 CA$3,133

-8.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$1,598 CA$2,248

-6.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$7,663 CA$10.8K

-54.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$5,984 CA$8,419

-56.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$2,988 CA$4,205

-83.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.08

-12.34%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Scarborough: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $1,756 in Scarborough. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Scarborough pays 498% 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: $46.00 in Phuket vs $81.0 in Scarborough for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $350 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, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 112% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 498% 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: $626 in Phuket versus $1,756 in Scarborough. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $846 in Scarborough. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Scarborough. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,250 in Phuket versus $2,651 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 112% less than in Scarborough. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.