Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Thun Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Thun

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,253 in Phuket versus $3,573 in Thun.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,043 in Phuket versus $5,324 in Thun.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Phuket versus $7,074 in Thun.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 65% less than in Thun, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 9% below, Thun is 160% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

$29.64 CHF 23.93

-84.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.62 ฿1,073

$126 CHF 102

-74.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿293

$16.30 CHF 13.17

-45.40%

Cappuccino

$2.80 ฿92.2

$6.70 CHF 5.41

-58.21%

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

$0.88 ฿28.94

$6.46 CHF 5.21

-86.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.08

$6.26 CHF 5.05

-92.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.5

$9.23 CHF 7.46

-74.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿122

$8.29 CHF 6.70

-55.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿58.8

$2.33 CHF 1.88

-23.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.40

$3.01 CHF 2.43

-52.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.1

$3.40 CHF 2.74

-53.53%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$8.04 CHF 6.50

-73.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿655

$25.49 CHF 20.58

-21.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿113

$28.69 CHF 23.16

-88.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿372

$39.66 CHF 32.02

-71.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.0

$3.65 CHF 2.95

-19.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.6

$2.35 CHF 1.90

-26.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿76.5

$2.97 CHF 2.40

-21.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$4.79 CHF 3.87

-56.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.34

$1.56 CHF 1.26

-5.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿44.65

$2.07 CHF 1.68

-34.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.13

$2.33 CHF 1.88

-52.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.89

$1.36 CHF 1.10

-58.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$11.81 CHF 9.53

-63.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿606

$12.56 CHF 10.14

46.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿61.5

$2.24 CHF 1.81

-16.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.1

$2.92 CHF 2.36

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿73.0

$4.39 CHF 3.54

-49.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

$104 CHF 83.7

-77.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.6

$8.04 CHF 6.49

-62.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.32

$4.60 CHF 3.72

-76.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

$86.6 CHF 69.9

-95.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.06

$2.39 CHF 1.93

-37.66%

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

$27.1K ฿892.0K

$44.3K CHF 35.8K

-38.82%

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

$27.5K ฿902.6K

$40.6K CHF 32.8K

-32.37%

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

$103 ฿3,380

$306 CHF 247

-66.38%

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

$10.99 ฿361

$53.9 CHF 43.55

-79.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿576

$65.1 CHF 52.6

-73.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,760

$95.3 CHF 76.9

-43.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

$46.55 CHF 37.59

-75.94%

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

$23.69 CHF 19.13

-68.43%

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

$557 ฿18.3K

$3,089 CHF 2,494

-81.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿389.7K

$31.9K CHF 25.7K

-62.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,107

$153 CHF 123

-57.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿956

$82.9 CHF 67.0

-64.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,155

$166 CHF 134

-42.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,970

$202 CHF 163

-55.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

$1,816 CHF 1,466

-59.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

$1,512 CHF 1,221

-66.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.7K

$2,925 CHF 2,362

-28.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.8K

$2,496 CHF 2,016

-51.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

$16.3K CHF 13.2K

-77.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

$12.6K CHF 10.2K

-80.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.6K

$6,082 CHF 4,911

-91.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

2.43

129.22%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Last update for Thun: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $730 in Phuket and $1,816 in Thun. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Thun pays 1108% 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 $126 in Thun for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 vs $583 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 Thun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 185% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 1108% lower in Thun. 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 $1,816 in Thun. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $557 in Phuket versus $3,089 in Thun. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 113% higher in Thun. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,253 in Phuket versus $3,573 in Thun, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Thun. 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 Thun, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Thun 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 185% less than in Thun. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.