Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Thompson Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Thompson

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,247 in Phuket versus $1,849 in Thompson.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,276 in Phuket versus $2,821 in Thompson.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,306 in Phuket versus $3,794 in Thompson.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 33% less than in Thompson, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 7% below, Thompson is 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿149

$16.72 CA$22.91

-72.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.44 ฿1,488

$70.1 CA$96.1

-33.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿278

$10.87 CA$14.90

-20.15%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ฿94.4

$3.70 CA$5.08

-20.27%

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

$0.70 ฿22.39

$1.99 CA$2.72

-64.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿12.63

$1.70 CA$2.33

-77.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿81.1

$5.49 CA$7.52

-53.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿121

$5.92 CA$8.12

-36.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ฿71.1

$2.20 CA$3.01

0.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 ฿57.5

$2.61 CA$3.57

-31.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ฿70.0

$3.55 CA$4.87

-38.31%

Eggs

$2.31 ฿74.0

$3.40 CA$4.66

-32.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.34 ฿620

$11.17 CA$15.31

73.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.77 ฿121

$11.77 CA$16.12

-67.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.22 ฿424

$14.90 CA$20.41

-11.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 ฿107

$4.13 CA$5.66

-19.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ฿52.8

$1.36 CA$1.86

21.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 ฿73.3

$3.65 CA$5.00

-37.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿63.7

$3.71 CA$5.08

-46.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿48.96

$2.44 CA$3.34

-37.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 ฿48.50

$2.55 CA$3.50

-40.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿32.93

$2.54 CA$3.49

-59.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.47

$1.77 CA$2.42

-71.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿141

$13.79 CA$18.89

-68.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.41 ฿622

$13.23 CA$18.12

46.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿57.6

$2.95 CA$4.05

-38.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿85.9

$3.14 CA$4.31

-14.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 ฿45.86

$2.38 CA$3.26

-39.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿375

$63.8 CA$87.3

-81.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ฿97.3

$3.11 CA$4.25

-2.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.19

$1.48 CA$2.03

-29.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.68 ฿438

$25.52 CA$34.96

-46.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 ฿41.61

$1.19 CA$1.63

9.24%

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

$27.9K ฿893.9K

$25.4K CA$34.8K

9.78%

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

$33.0K ฿1.1M

$20.7K CA$28.4K

59.60%

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

$123 ฿3,940

$143 CA$196

-13.84%

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

$13.82 ฿443

$43.14 CA$59.1

-67.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.86 ฿604

$62.4 CA$85.5

-69.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.2 ฿1,959

$42.34 CA$58.0

44.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.81 ฿538

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿284

$11.63 CA$15.94

-23.73%

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

$696 ฿22.3K

$727 CA$996

-4.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K ฿514.5K

$11.9K CA$16.3K

34.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,899

$55.3 CA$75.7

7.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.85 ฿1,117

$39.28 CA$53.8

-11.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,626

$85.7 CA$117

32.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.1 ฿2,725

$106 CA$146

-20.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$615 ฿19.7K

$698 CA$956

-11.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.4K

$692 CA$948

-35.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿66.8K

$1,164 CA$1,594

79.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿47.9K

$1,156 CA$1,584

29.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,734 ฿119.7K

$5,081 CA$6,962

-26.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,662 ฿85.3K

$4,200 CA$5,754

-36.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$534 ฿17.1K

$1,628 CA$2,230

-67.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.46

-17.49%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026

Last update for Thompson: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $698 in Thompson. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Thompson pays 208% 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 in Phuket vs $70 in Thompson for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $366 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 Thompson: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 48% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Thompson earns 208% less. 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: $619 in Phuket versus $698 in Thompson. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $698 in Phuket versus $727 in Thompson. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Thompson. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,247 in Phuket versus $1,849 in Thompson, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Thompson. 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 Thompson, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Thompson 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 48% less than in Thompson. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.