🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,824 in Solothurn.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $4,426 in Solothurn.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $6,029 in Solothurn.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 55% less than in Solothurn, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Solothurn is 111% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Solothurn
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70฿153
$30.88CHF 24.35
-84.78%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37฿1,482
$143CHF 113
-68.22%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.43฿275
$20.70CHF 16.32
-59.28%
Cappuccino
$2.93฿95.6
$6.63CHF 5.23
-55.81%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.40
$5.61CHF 4.42
-87.70%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.99
$5.13CHF 4.04
-92.79%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.41฿78.6
$6.64CHF 5.24
-63.70%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿122
$6.24CHF 4.92
-40.38%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Solothurn
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.23฿72.9
$2.26CHF 1.78
-1.33%
White Bread(500g)
$1.83฿59.8
$3.43CHF 2.70
-46.65%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.17฿70.8
$3.39CHF 2.67
-35.99%
Eggs
$2.21฿72.3
$7.47CHF 5.89
-70.41%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.74฿645
$29.54CHF 23.29
-33.18%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿119
$30.76CHF 24.25
-88.20%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.53฿442
$38.99CHF 30.74
-65.30%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28฿107
$4.22CHF 3.33
-22.27%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61฿52.6
$2.90CHF 2.28
-44.48%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿78.6
$3.12CHF 2.46
-22.76%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.1
$4.34CHF 3.42
-52.07%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿49.93
$1.93CHF 1.52
-20.73%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.36
$2.02CHF 1.59
-26.73%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99฿32.29
$2.50CHF 1.97
-60.40%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.67
$1.06CHF 0.84
-51.89%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿144
$11.30CHF 8.91
-60.97%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.38฿633
$10.27CHF 8.09
88.70%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$2.65CHF 2.09
-32.83%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71฿88.6
$2.43CHF 1.92
11.52%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Solothurn
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.37฿44.79
$3.60CHF 2.84
-61.94%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.39฿372
$98.1CHF 77.4
-88.39%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.02฿98.6
$7.67CHF 6.05
-60.63%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.99฿32.48
$4.19CHF 3.30
-76.37%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.10฿461
$73.1CHF 57.6
-80.71%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36฿44.51
$2.30CHF 1.82
-40.87%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K฿921.1K
$38.3KCHF 30.2K
-26.29%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$37.8KCHF 29.8K
-12.92%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Solothurn
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,975
$100CHF 78.9
21.66%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿443
$30.95CHF 24.40
-56.16%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31฿598
$57.8CHF 45.53
-68.30%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Solothurn
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.2฿1,967
$74.0CHF 58.3
-18.58%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14฿560
$24.25CHF 19.12
-29.32%
Cinema Ticket
$8.69฿284
$24.39CHF 19.23
-64.37%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Solothurn
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$693฿22.6K
$3,424CHF 2,700
-79.75%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.7K฿512.3K
$19.8KCHF 15.6K
-20.70%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Solothurn
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,944
$140CHF 111
-57.58%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77฿1,136
$42.53CHF 33.53
-18.25%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,743
$99.3CHF 78.3
15.43%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3฿2,720
$188CHF 148
-55.71%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Solothurn
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$613฿20.0K
$1,265CHF 997
-51.53%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437฿14.3K
$1,065CHF 840
-58.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,094฿68.4K
$1,854CHF 1,462
12.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509฿49.3K
$1,755CHF 1,384
-14.00%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,749฿122.5K
$10.3KCHF 8,088
-63.45%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,616฿85.4K
$5,092CHF 4,014
-48.63%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Solothurn
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.6K
$7,149CHF 5,636
-92.89%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
2.09
155.02%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Last update for Solothurn: May 30, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $1,265 in Solothurn. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Solothurn pays 1307% 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: $45.00 in Phuket vs $143 in Solothurn for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $604 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 123% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Solothurn?
On paper, Solothurn earns 1307% 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 Solothurn?
Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $1,265 in Solothurn. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $3,424 in Solothurn. 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 Solothurn?
Supermarket bills run roughly 106% higher in Solothurn. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Solothurn?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,824 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 123% less than in Solothurn. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.