🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $3,151 in Schaffhausen.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $5,139 in Schaffhausen.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $7,126 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 8% below, Schaffhausen is 129% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Schaffhausen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.66฿154
$31.20CHF 25.46
-85.06%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.22฿1,065
$121CHF 99.0
-73.45%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.68฿287
$18.87CHF 15.40
-54.00%
Cappuccino
$2.90฿95.8
$5.75CHF 4.69
-49.57%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84฿27.89
$5.47CHF 4.47
-84.64%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.16
$4.99CHF 4.07
-90.18%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.48฿82.0
$8.73CHF 7.13
-71.59%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.73฿123
$7.46CHF 6.09
-50.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Schaffhausen
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.89฿62.3
$2.21CHF 1.81
-14.48%
White Bread(500g)
$1.41฿46.54
$4.15CHF 3.38
-66.02%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.62฿53.6
$4.36CHF 3.55
-62.84%
Eggs
$2.24฿74.1
$7.84CHF 6.40
-71.43%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.84฿656
$28.35CHF 23.14
-30.02%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.48฿115
$32.11CHF 26.20
-89.16%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.37฿376
$43.79CHF 35.74
-74.04%
Apples(1kg)
$2.90฿95.8
$3.92CHF 3.20
-26.02%
Banana(1kg)
$1.72฿57.0
$2.19CHF 1.79
-21.46%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.27฿75.1
$3.17CHF 2.59
-28.39%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.13฿70.4
$5.68CHF 4.63
-62.50%
Potato(1kg)
$1.47฿48.72
$2.52CHF 2.05
-41.67%
Onion(1kg)
$1.42฿46.92
$2.25CHF 1.84
-36.89%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.10฿36.25
$2.46CHF 2.00
-55.28%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.60฿19.76
$1.25CHF 1.02
-52.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.31฿142
$11.23CHF 9.17
-61.62%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.60฿615
$13.72CHF 11.20
35.57%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80฿59.5
$3.04CHF 2.48
-40.79%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97฿98.0
$3.97CHF 3.24
-25.19%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Schaffhausen
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.25฿74.2
$3.95CHF 3.22
-43.04%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$23.49฿776
$99.4CHF 81.1
-76.37%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.10฿102
$6.26CHF 5.11
-50.48%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.08฿35.56
$3.81CHF 3.11
-71.65%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.87฿128
$61.5CHF 50.2
-93.71%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.43฿47.16
$2.22CHF 1.81
-35.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K฿918.0K
$44.7KCHF 36.5K
-37.87%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0K฿891.5K
$40.8KCHF 33.3K
-33.79%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Schaffhausen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$105฿3,462
$228CHF 186
-53.95%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.39฿376
$31.99CHF 26.11
-64.40%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.54฿580
$64.0CHF 52.2
-72.57%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Schaffhausen
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$54.3฿1,795
$112CHF 91.1
-51.30%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.44฿378
$46.98CHF 38.34
-75.65%
Cinema Ticket
$7.78฿257
$23.97CHF 19.56
-67.54%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Schaffhausen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$576฿19.0K
$3,228CHF 2,634
-82.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.6K฿382.7K
$33.3KCHF 27.1K
-65.17%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Schaffhausen
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.6฿2,103
$170CHF 138
-62.48%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.10฿961
$54.9CHF 44.83
-47.02%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$96.2฿3,179
$193CHF 157
-50.02%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.0฿2,974
$157CHF 128
-42.52%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Schaffhausen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$733฿24.2K
$1,362CHF 1,112
-46.17%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$501฿16.5K
$1,200CHF 980
-58.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,126฿70.2K
$2,710CHF 2,212
-21.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,252฿41.4K
$2,411CHF 1,967
-48.05%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,534฿116.8K
$8,369CHF 6,830
-57.77%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,622฿86.6K
$8,438CHF 6,886
-68.93%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Schaffhausen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.8K
$7,296CHF 5,954
-93.04%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
2.48
124.60%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026
Last update for Schaffhausen: September 5, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $733 in Phuket and $1,362 in Schaffhausen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Schaffhausen pays 1337% 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 $121 in Schaffhausen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $275 vs $651 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, Getting Around. The 149% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Schaffhausen?
On paper, salaries run 1337% lower in Schaffhausen. 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: $733 in Phuket versus $1,362 in Schaffhausen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $576 in Phuket versus $3,228 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 in Schaffhausen?
Supermarket bills run roughly 137% higher in Schaffhausen. 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 Schaffhausen?
At $1,265 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 149% less than in Schaffhausen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.