🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $3,847 in St. Moritz.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $6,534 in St. Moritz.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $9,221 in St. Moritz.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 67% less than in St. Moritz, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, St. Moritz is 186% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
St. Moritz
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.56฿149
$31.18CHF 24.75
-85.38%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.63฿1,519
$146CHF 116
-68.14%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.47฿276
$14.71CHF 11.68
-42.42%
Cappuccino
$3.03฿98.6
$6.27CHF 4.98
-51.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.45
$5.48CHF 4.35
-87.41%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.92
$4.70CHF 3.73
-92.13%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.49฿81.0
$9.73CHF 7.73
-74.41%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66฿119
$6.05CHF 4.81
-39.50%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
St. Moritz
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.18฿71.0
$1.33CHF 1.06
63.91%
White Bread(500g)
$1.90฿62.0
$3.40CHF 2.70
-44.12%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.20฿71.6
$3.94CHF 3.13
-44.16%
Eggs
$2.22฿72.4
$7.46CHF 5.92
-70.24%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.99฿651
$29.03CHF 23.05
-31.14%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.66฿119
$33.94CHF 26.95
-89.22%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.25฿432
$50.8CHF 40.32
-73.91%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23฿105
$4.14CHF 3.29
-21.98%
Banana(1kg)
$1.70฿55.3
$2.91CHF 2.31
-41.58%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.39฿78.0
$3.15CHF 2.50
-24.13%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿67.7
$5.05CHF 4.01
-58.81%
Potato(1kg)
$1.59฿51.8
$2.73CHF 2.17
-41.76%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.31
$2.29CHF 1.82
-35.37%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03฿33.54
$2.58CHF 2.05
-60.08%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52฿16.83
$1.67CHF 1.33
-68.86%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.25฿138
$11.28CHF 8.95
-62.32%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.79฿612
$14.82CHF 11.76
26.79%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76฿57.2
$2.64CHF 2.09
-33.33%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76฿89.8
$3.22CHF 2.56
-14.29%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
St. Moritz
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.36฿44.32
$4.04CHF 3.21
-66.34%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.36฿370
$95.2CHF 75.6
-88.07%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14฿102
$7.52CHF 5.97
-58.24%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿33.74
$4.54CHF 3.61
-77.09%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.77฿448
$86.3CHF 68.5
-84.05%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.34฿43.79
$2.27CHF 1.80
-40.97%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7K฿901.4K
$40.0KCHF 31.8K
-30.85%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.9K฿1.1M
$39.8KCHF 31.6K
-14.90%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
St. Moritz
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$124฿4,025
$98.5CHF 78.2
25.42%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.52฿440
$35.59CHF 28.25
-62.01%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.69฿609
$59.2CHF 46.98
-68.42%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
St. Moritz
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.8฿2,013
$73.5CHF 58.3
-15.87%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.25฿562
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.14฿298
$19.41CHF 15.41
-52.91%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
St. Moritz
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$703฿22.9K
$3,408CHF 2,705
-79.38%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.9K฿517.0K
$38.5KCHF 30.6K
-58.79%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
St. Moritz
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,937
$141CHF 112
-57.91%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.07฿1,142
$61.3CHF 48.69
-42.82%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,754
$147CHF 117
-21.64%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.1฿2,737
$205CHF 163
-59.01%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
St. Moritz
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$619฿20.1K
$1,699CHF 1,348
-63.58%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$433฿14.1K
$1,955CHF 1,552
-77.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,062฿67.2K
$2,868CHF 2,277
-28.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,511฿49.2K
$4,615CHF 3,664
-67.26%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,646฿118.7K
$15.0KCHF 11.9K
-75.62%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,626฿85.5K
$11.6KCHF 9,221
-77.40%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
St. Moritz
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$507฿16.5K
$4,973CHF 3,948
-89.80%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
1.8
196.11%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026
Last update for St. Moritz: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $1,699 in St. Moritz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰St. Moritz pays 881% 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: $47.00 in Phuket vs $146 in St. Moritz for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $670 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 St. Moritz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is St. Moritz cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 205% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or St. Moritz?
On paper, St. Moritz earns 881% 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 St. Moritz?
Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $1,699 in St. Moritz. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $3,408 in St. Moritz. 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 St. Moritz?
Supermarket bills run roughly 129% higher in St. Moritz. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or St. Moritz?
At $1,261 in Phuket versus $3,847 in St. Moritz, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in St. Moritz. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or St. Moritz more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in St. Moritz, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or St. Moritz?
Safety-wise, Phuket and St. Moritz 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 205% less than in St. Moritz. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.