Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Schaffhausen

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,278 a month against $3,139 in Schaffhausen, rent and utilities included – about $22,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index
150

Cost of Living Index in Schaffhausen
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Schaffhausen Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

Schaffhausen

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Schaffhausen

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 Schaffhausen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,278 in Phuket versus $3,139 in Schaffhausen.

Phuket $1,278
Schaffhausen $3,139

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,216 in Phuket versus $5,010 in Schaffhausen.

Phuket $2,216
Schaffhausen $5,010

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,154 in Phuket versus $6,882 in Schaffhausen.

Phuket $3,154
Schaffhausen $6,882

Living in Phuket costs roughly 59% less than in Schaffhausen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Schaffhausen is 131% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.47 ฿151

$30.45 CHF 25.26

-85.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.41 ฿1,094

$122 CHF 101

-73.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.81 ฿297

$18.19 CHF 15.09

-51.57%

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿95.5

$6.01 CHF 4.98

-52.91%

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

$0.87 ฿29.43

$5.32 CHF 4.41

-83.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.67

$4.78 CHF 3.96

-89.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 ฿86.4

$8.39 CHF 6.96

-69.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿124

$7.11 CHF 5.90

-48.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿56.0

$2.16 CHF 1.79

-23.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿49.35

$4.00 CHF 3.32

-63.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$4.25 CHF 3.53

-64.71%

Eggs

$2.09 ฿70.5

$7.81 CHF 6.48

-73.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.07 ฿644

$27.90 CHF 23.15

-31.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿111

$30.45 CHF 25.26

-89.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.91 ฿368

$42.66 CHF 35.39

-74.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 ฿99.0

$3.84 CHF 3.18

-23.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿57.1

$2.07 CHF 1.72

-18.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$3.17 CHF 2.63

-29.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿70.1

$5.49 CHF 4.55

-62.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ฿51.0

$2.38 CHF 1.97

-36.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$2.14 CHF 1.77

-35.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.99

$2.31 CHF 1.91

-53.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.52

$1.16 CHF 0.96

-55.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ฿142

$10.82 CHF 8.98

-61.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿634

$12.00 CHF 9.95

56.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿61.5

$2.89 CHF 2.40

-37.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.9

$3.59 CHF 2.98

-20.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿49.03

$4.01 CHF 3.32

-63.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.7 ฿1,913

$98.0 CHF 81.3

-42.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿102

$6.10 CHF 5.06

-50.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.36

$2.86 CHF 2.37

-64.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 ฿125

$59.6 CHF 49.43

-93.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.81

$2.22 CHF 1.84

-33.78%

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

$26.8K ฿904.3K

$38.4K CHF 31.8K

-30.19%

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

$26.7K ฿901.3K

$39.4K CHF 32.7K

-32.29%

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

$96.4 ฿3,254

$229 CHF 190

-57.98%

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

$11.26 ฿380

$28.98 CHF 24.04

-61.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.85 ฿569

$62.0 CHF 51.4

-72.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 ฿2,270

$110 CHF 91.3

-38.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.73 ฿362

$46.30 CHF 38.41

-76.83%

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 ฿253

$23.59 CHF 19.57

-68.21%

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

$476 ฿16.1K

$3,157 CHF 2,619

-84.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿380.4K

$24.5K CHF 20.3K

-54.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 ฿2,106

$163 CHF 135

-61.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.41 ฿959

$54.9 CHF 45.51

-48.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,184

$172 CHF 142

-45.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 ฿2,898

$150 CHF 125

-42.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 ฿24.2K

$1,272 CHF 1,055

-43.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 ฿16.6K

$1,192 CHF 989

-58.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,927 ฿65.1K

$2,689 CHF 2,230

-28.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 ฿48.3K

$2,317 CHF 1,922

-38.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,175 ฿141.0K

$8,110 CHF 6,728

-48.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,045 ฿102.8K

$8,439 CHF 7,001

-63.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿17.0K

$7,148 CHF 5,930

-92.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

2.41

131.12%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Schaffhausen: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$491 38.4%

Schaffhausen

$1.2K 38% 143% $701

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$266 20.8%

Schaffhausen

$626 19.9% 135% $359

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$124 9.7%

Schaffhausen

$320 10.2% 157% $196

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Schaffhausen

$243 7.7% 99.1% $121

Eating Out

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Schaffhausen

$467 14.9% 284% $345

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$82 6.4%

Schaffhausen

$157 5% 91.1% $75

Getting Around

Phuket

$71 5.5%

Schaffhausen

$134 4.3% 90.5% $64

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $716 in Phuket and $1,272 in Schaffhausen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Schaffhausen pays about 14 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $122 in Schaffhausen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $266 vs $626 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇨🇭 Schaffhausen

🕒 Local time

04:19 4:19 AM

22:19 10:19 PM

6 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

35,927

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Swiss Franc CHF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 CHF = 1.21 USD

1 CHF = 1.08 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CHF, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.83 CHF (1 CHF = 1.21 USD). 1 EUR = 0.924 CHF (1 CHF = 1.08 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Phuket Schaffhausen 9,340 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Schaffhausen

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 Schaffhausen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is about 59% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 93% lower in Phuket. 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: $716 in Phuket versus $1,272 in Schaffhausen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $476 in Phuket versus $3,157 in Schaffhausen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 135% higher in Schaffhausen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,278 in Phuket versus $3,139 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.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Schaffhausen are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 59% less than in Schaffhausen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.