Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Sydney, NS Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Sydney, NS

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,253 in Phuket versus $1,673 in Sydney, NS.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,043 in Phuket versus $2,593 in Sydney, NS.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Phuket versus $3,513 in Sydney, NS.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 25% less than in Sydney, NS, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 9% below, Sydney, NS is 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

$11.47 CA$15.87

-60.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.62 ฿1,072

$65.9 CA$91.2

-50.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿293

$7.71 CA$10.67

15.43%

Cappuccino

$2.80 ฿92.2

$2.87 CA$3.97

-2.44%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 ฿28.93

$2.31 CA$3.20

-61.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.08

$2.17 CA$3.01

-77.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿58.7

$2.28 CA$3.16

-21.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.38

$2.56 CA$3.54

-43.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.1

$2.46 CA$3.40

-35.77%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$3.40 CA$4.70

-37.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿655

$6.37 CA$8.81

212.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿113

$8.42 CA$11.65

-59.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿372

$13.16 CA$18.21

-13.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿96.9

$7.05 CA$9.76

-58.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.6

$1.22 CA$1.69

40.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿76.4

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$1.40 CA$1.94

48.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.33

$0.82 CA$1.13

79.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿44.64

$2.00 CA$2.77

-32.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.12

$6.35 CA$8.79

-82.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.89

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$17.82 CA$24.66

-76.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿605

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿61.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.0

$4.29 CA$5.94

-31.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿72.9

$1.10 CA$1.53

101.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

$48.95 CA$67.7

-53.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.6

$4.28 CA$5.92

-29.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.31

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.04

$1.16 CA$1.60

28.45%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.1K ฿891.7K

$26.9K CA$37.2K

0.89%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$27.5K ฿902.3K

$19.1K CA$26.4K

43.95%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$103 ฿3,379

$90.6 CA$125

13.44%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$10.99 ฿361

$35.48 CA$49.10

-69.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿576

$74.8 CA$104

-76.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,760

$49.57 CA$68.6

7.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

$3.63 CA$5.03

208.54%

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

$7.14 CA$9.87

4.76%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$557 ฿18.3K

$721 CA$998

-22.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿389.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,106

$69.1 CA$95.6

-7.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿956

$68.5 CA$94.7

-57.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,154

$102 CA$141

-6.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,970

$108 CA$150

-16.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

$920 CA$1,272

-20.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

$726 CA$1,005

-31.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.7K

$1,829 CA$2,530

14.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.7K

$1,412 CA$1,954

-14.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.5K

$2,568 CA$3,554

-80.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.8

-3.97%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Last update for Sydney, NS: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $730 in Phuket and $920 in Sydney, NS. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sydney, NS pays 410% 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: $33.00 in Phuket vs $66.0 in Sydney, NS. Groceries flip the comparison at $273 vs $263, with Sydney, NS cheaper for home cooking.

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 Sydney, NS: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 34% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 410% lower in Sydney, NS. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $730 in Phuket versus $920 in Sydney, NS. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $557 in Phuket versus $721 in Sydney, NS. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Sydney, NS pay roughly 4% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,253 in Phuket versus $1,673 in Sydney, NS, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Sydney, NS. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Sydney, NS, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Sydney, NS are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Sydney, NS. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.