🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,801 in Solothurn.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $4,577 in Solothurn.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $6,353 in Solothurn.
🌍Living in Phuket costs roughly 55% less than in Solothurn, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 8% below, Solothurn is 103% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Solothurn
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.66฿154
$30.41CHF 24.82
-84.68%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.22฿1,065
$149CHF 122
-78.42%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.68฿287
$18.46CHF 15.06
-52.98%
Cappuccino
$2.90฿95.8
$6.68CHF 5.45
-56.59%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84฿27.89
$5.63CHF 4.60
-85.08%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.16
$5.36CHF 4.37
-90.86%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.48฿82.0
$6.92CHF 5.65
-64.16%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.73฿123
$6.23CHF 5.08
-40.13%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Solothurn
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.89฿62.3
$2.23CHF 1.82
-15.25%
White Bread(500g)
$1.41฿46.54
$3.82CHF 3.12
-63.09%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.62฿53.6
$3.53CHF 2.88
-54.11%
Eggs
$2.24฿74.1
$8.83CHF 7.20
-74.63%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.84฿656
$22.83CHF 18.63
-13.10%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.48฿115
$26.51CHF 21.64
-86.87%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.37฿376
$61.7CHF 50.3
-81.57%
Apples(1kg)
$2.90฿95.8
$2.96CHF 2.41
-2.03%
Banana(1kg)
$1.72฿57.0
$1.45CHF 1.18
18.62%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.27฿75.1
$3.52CHF 2.87
-35.51%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.13฿70.4
$4.22CHF 3.45
-49.53%
Potato(1kg)
$1.47฿48.72
$1.67CHF 1.36
-11.98%
Onion(1kg)
$1.42฿46.92
$1.78CHF 1.45
-20.22%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.10฿36.25
$1.63CHF 1.33
-32.52%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.60฿19.76
$1.00CHF 0.81
-40.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.31฿142
$11.32CHF 9.24
-61.93%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.60฿615
$13.32CHF 10.87
39.64%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80฿59.5
$2.89CHF 2.36
-37.72%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97฿98.0
$3.27CHF 2.67
-9.17%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Solothurn
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.25฿74.2
$4.85CHF 3.96
-53.61%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$23.49฿776
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.10฿102
$8.46CHF 6.91
-63.36%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.08฿35.56
$4.75CHF 3.88
-77.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.87฿128
$92.5CHF 75.5
-95.82%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.43฿47.16
$2.36CHF 1.93
-39.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K฿918.0K
$31.4KCHF 25.6K
-11.54%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0K฿891.5K
$36.2KCHF 29.5K
-25.38%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Solothurn
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$105฿3,462
$98.0CHF 80.0
6.90%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.39฿376
$30.80CHF 25.13
-63.02%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.54฿580
$58.5CHF 47.73
-70.01%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Solothurn
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$54.3฿1,795
$91.9CHF 75.0
-40.90%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.44฿378
$17.25CHF 14.08
-33.68%
Cinema Ticket
$7.78฿257
$18.52CHF 15.11
-57.99%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Solothurn
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$576฿19.0K
$3,692CHF 3,013
-84.39%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.6K฿382.7K
$19.4KCHF 15.9K
-40.37%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Solothurn
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.6฿2,103
$143CHF 117
-55.50%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.10฿961
$43.91CHF 35.84
-33.73%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$96.2฿3,179
$171CHF 139
-43.58%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.0฿2,974
$258CHF 210
-65.10%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Solothurn
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$733฿24.2K
$1,201CHF 980
-38.93%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$501฿16.5K
$1,072CHF 875
-53.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,126฿70.2K
$1,861CHF 1,519
14.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,252฿41.4K
$1,815CHF 1,482
-31.02%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,534฿116.8K
$9,687CHF 7,906
-63.52%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,622฿86.6K
$5,010CHF 4,089
-47.67%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Solothurn
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.8K
$6,908CHF 5,637
-92.65%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
2.07
169.08%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026
Last update for Solothurn: September 8, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $733 in Phuket and $1,201 in Solothurn. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Solothurn pays 1261% 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 $149 in Solothurn for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $275 vs $629 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 Solothurn: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Solothurn cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 121% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Solothurn?
On paper, salaries run 1261% lower in Solothurn. 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 Solothurn?
Rent for a central apartment: $733 in Phuket versus $1,201 in Solothurn. 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 $3,692 in Solothurn. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or in Solothurn?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $149 in Solothurn. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Solothurn?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,801 in Solothurn, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Solothurn. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Solothurn more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Solothurn, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Solothurn?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Solothurn 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 121% less than in Solothurn. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.