Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Surrey, Canada

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,278 a month against $2,338 in Surrey, rent and utilities included – about $12,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Surrey, Canada
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Surrey
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,338
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Surrey

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,278 in Phuket versus $2,338 in Surrey.

  • Phuket $1,278
  • Surrey $2,338

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,216 in Phuket versus $3,564 in Surrey.

  • Phuket $2,216
  • Surrey $3,564

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,154 in Phuket versus $4,791 in Surrey.

  • Phuket $3,154
  • Surrey $4,791

Living in Phuket costs roughly 45% less than in Surrey, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Surrey is 72% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Surrey
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.47 ฿151
$18.11 CA$25.31
-75.32%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.41 ฿1,093
$57.5 CA$80.3
-43.62%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.81 ฿297
$10.06 CA$14.06
-12.43%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿95.4
$3.52 CA$4.92
-19.60%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 ฿29.41
$2.01 CA$2.81
-56.72%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.65
$1.50 CA$2.10
-67.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.56 ฿86.3
$6.01 CA$8.40
-57.40%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 ฿124
$5.63 CA$7.87
-34.64%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Surrey
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 ฿55.9
$2.47 CA$3.46
-32.79%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 ฿49.31
$2.10 CA$2.94
-30.48%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.5
$3.64 CA$5.09
-58.79%
Eggs
$2.09 ฿70.5
$3.22 CA$4.50
-35.09%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.07 ฿643
$9.77 CA$13.65
95.19%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿111
$10.57 CA$14.78
-68.78%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.91 ฿368
$20.34 CA$28.42
-46.36%
Apples (1kg)
$2.93 ฿98.9
$3.33 CA$4.65
-12.01%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿57.0
$1.30 CA$1.82
30.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.25 ฿75.8
$2.94 CA$4.10
-23.47%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿70.0
$3.02 CA$4.23
-31.13%
Potato (1kg)
$1.51 ฿51.0
$2.59 CA$3.62
-41.70%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.52
$2.15 CA$3.01
-35.81%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.96
$2.00 CA$2.80
-46.50%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.51
$1.83 CA$2.56
-71.58%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20 ฿142
$14.11 CA$19.72
-70.23%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.79 ฿634
$14.20 CA$19.85
32.32%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ฿61.5
$2.45 CA$3.43
-25.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 ฿95.8
$3.23 CA$4.51
-12.07%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Surrey
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿48.98
$2.55 CA$3.57
-43.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$56.7 ฿1,912
$110 CA$154
-48.68%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿102
$2.64 CA$3.69
14.39%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 ฿34.33
$1.60 CA$2.23
-36.25%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.69 ฿125
$28.02 CA$39.15
-86.83%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.76
$1.38 CA$1.92
6.52%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K ฿903.4K
$28.2K CA$39.3K
-4.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿900.5K
$21.7K CA$30.3K
22.95%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Surrey
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,251
$187 CA$261
-48.34%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.26 ฿380
$37.14 CA$51.9
-69.68%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.85 ฿568
$65.7 CA$91.9
-74.37%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Surrey
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 ฿2,268
$31.83 CA$44.48
111.22%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.73 ฿362
$25.35 CA$35.42
-57.67%
Cinema Ticket
$7.50 ฿253
$12.18 CA$17.02
-38.42%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Surrey
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$476 ฿16.1K
$668 CA$934
-28.80%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.3K ฿380.0K
$12.1K CA$16.9K
-6.68%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Surrey
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.4 ฿2,104
$55.0 CA$76.8
13.44%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.41 ฿958
$61.1 CA$85.4
-53.50%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.3 ฿3,181
$99.5 CA$139
-5.23%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8 ฿2,895
$90.8 CA$127
-5.46%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Surrey
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$716 ฿24.2K
$1,376 CA$1,923
-47.97%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$491 ฿16.6K
$1,094 CA$1,528
-55.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,927 ฿65.0K
$2,606 CA$3,641
-26.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,431 ฿48.3K
$2,095 CA$2,927
-31.71%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,175 ฿140.9K
$6,631 CA$9,265
-37.03%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,045 ฿102.7K
$5,166 CA$7,218
-41.06%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Surrey
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$502 ฿16.9K
$3,156 CA$4,410
-84.09%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
4.87
14.37%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Surrey: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$491
Surrey
$1.1K 123% $603
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$266
Surrey
$357 34.1% $91
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$124
Surrey
$289 133% $165
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$122
Surrey
$138 13.1% $16
Eating Out
Phuket
$122
Surrey
$273 124% $151
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$82
Surrey
$56 31.7% $26
Getting Around
Phuket
$71
Surrey
$131 86% $61

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $716 in Phuket and $1,376 in Surrey. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Surrey pays about 6.3 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $57 in Surrey for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $266 vs $357 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇨🇦 Surrey
🕒 Local time
01:21 1:21 AM
11:21 11:21 AM
14 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
517,887
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.67 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.716 USD). 1 EUR = 1.56 CAD (1 CAD = 0.641 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Surrey 12,510 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Surrey

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 Surrey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Surrey?
Phuket is about 45% cheaper overall, especially in eating out, groceries, and utilities. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Surrey?
On paper, salaries run 84% 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.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Surrey?
Rent for a central apartment: $716 in Phuket versus $1,376 in Surrey. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $476 in Phuket versus $668 in Surrey. 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 Surrey?
Supermarket bills run roughly 34% higher in Surrey. 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 Surrey?
At $1,278 in Phuket versus $2,338 in Surrey, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Surrey. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Phuket or in Surrey?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Surrey. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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