🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,270 in Phuket versus $3,151 in Schaffhausen.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,304 in Phuket versus $4,931 in Schaffhausen.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,339 in Phuket versus $6,712 in Schaffhausen.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 60% less than in Schaffhausen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 5% below, Schaffhausen is 135% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Schaffhausen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.66฿150
$31.31CHF 24.55
-85.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.44฿1,496
$125CHF 98.1
-62.90%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.68฿280
$15.86CHF 12.43
-45.27%
Cappuccino
$2.95฿95.0
$5.43CHF 4.26
-45.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70฿22.52
$5.42CHF 4.25
-87.08%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39฿12.70
$4.42CHF 3.47
-91.18%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.53฿81.6
$8.20CHF 6.43
-69.15%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78฿122
$7.59CHF 5.95
-50.20%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Schaffhausen
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.22฿71.5
$1.90CHF 1.49
16.84%
White Bread(500g)
$1.80฿57.8
$3.79CHF 2.97
-52.51%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.19฿70.4
$3.55CHF 2.79
-38.31%
Eggs
$2.31฿74.5
$7.66CHF 6.01
-69.84%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.34฿623
$29.66CHF 23.25
-34.79%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.77฿121
$35.28CHF 27.66
-89.31%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.22฿426
$51.8CHF 40.59
-74.46%
Apples(1kg)
$3.33฿107
$3.77CHF 2.95
-11.67%
Banana(1kg)
$1.65฿53.1
$2.24CHF 1.76
-26.34%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.29฿73.7
$2.87CHF 2.25
-20.21%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.99฿64.1
$6.02CHF 4.72
-66.94%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿49.24
$2.46CHF 1.93
-37.80%
Onion(1kg)
$1.51฿48.77
$2.44CHF 1.92
-38.11%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03฿33.12
$2.67CHF 2.10
-61.42%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.57
$1.28CHF 1.01
-60.16%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿142
$11.29CHF 8.85
-60.94%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.41฿625
$13.90CHF 10.90
39.64%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80฿58.0
$1.36CHF 1.07
32.35%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68฿86.4
$2.75CHF 2.15
-2.55%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Schaffhausen
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.43฿46.11
$3.79CHF 2.97
-62.27%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.70฿377
$85.1CHF 66.7
-86.25%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.04฿97.9
$10.08CHF 7.91
-69.84%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿33.37
$4.11CHF 3.22
-74.70%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.68฿441
$62.3CHF 48.83
-78.04%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.30฿41.85
$2.15CHF 1.69
-39.53%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.9K฿898.9K
$40.9KCHF 32.0K
-31.71%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.0K฿1.1M
$42.5KCHF 33.3K
-22.25%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Schaffhausen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$123฿3,962
$242CHF 190
-49.26%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.82฿445
$28.69CHF 22.49
-51.83%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.86฿608
$43.53CHF 34.13
-56.67%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Schaffhausen
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.2฿1,970
$109CHF 85.7
-44.05%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.81฿541
$47.51CHF 37.25
-64.62%
Cinema Ticket
$8.87฿286
$22.50CHF 17.64
-60.58%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Schaffhausen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$696฿22.4K
$3,325CHF 2,607
-79.05%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$16.1K฿517.4K
$43.6KCHF 34.1K
-63.13%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Schaffhausen
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.3฿1,910
$112CHF 87.9
-47.14%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.85฿1,123
$68.3CHF 53.5
-48.96%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,646
$130CHF 102
-12.76%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.1฿2,740
$158CHF 124
-46.19%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Schaffhausen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$615฿19.8K
$1,214CHF 952
-49.32%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$448฿14.4K
$1,221CHF 957
-63.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,085฿67.2K
$2,754CHF 2,159
-24.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,496฿48.2K
$2,163CHF 1,696
-30.83%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,734฿120.3K
$8,567CHF 6,717
-56.41%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,662฿85.8K
$6,910CHF 5,417
-61.48%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Schaffhausen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$534฿17.2K
$9,437CHF 7,398
-94.35%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
2.5
113.20%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026
Last update for Schaffhausen: April 20, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $615 in Phuket and $1,214 in Schaffhausen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Schaffhausen pays 1669% 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 in Phuket vs $125 in Schaffhausen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $675 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 Schaffhausen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Schaffhausen cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 148% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Schaffhausen?
On paper, Schaffhausen earns 1669% less. 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 Schaffhausen?
Rent for a central apartment: $615 in Phuket versus $1,214 in Schaffhausen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $696 in Phuket versus $3,325 in Schaffhausen. 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 Schaffhausen?
Supermarket bills run roughly 132% higher in Schaffhausen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Schaffhausen?
At $1,270 in Phuket versus $3,151 in Schaffhausen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Schaffhausen. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Schaffhausen more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Schaffhausen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Schaffhausen?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Schaffhausen 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 148% less than in Schaffhausen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.