Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Vancouver Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Vancouver

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,831 in Vancouver.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $4,231 in Vancouver.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $5,630 in Vancouver.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 55% less than in Vancouver, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Vancouver is 111% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$18.26 CA$25.37

-74.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,483

$77.8 CA$108

-41.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$10.85 CA$15.08

-22.30%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.7

$3.98 CA$5.53

-26.38%

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

$0.69 ฿22.42

$2.12 CA$2.94

-67.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.00

$1.78 CA$2.47

-79.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$5.77 CA$8.02

-58.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$7.56 CA$10.50

-50.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.0

$2.32 CA$3.23

-3.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.9

$3.10 CA$4.30

-40.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.9

$3.89 CA$5.40

-44.22%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.4

$4.53 CA$6.29

-51.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$12.92 CA$17.95

52.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$14.14 CA$19.65

-74.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$15.74 CA$21.87

-14.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$4.26 CA$5.91

-23.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$1.47 CA$2.04

9.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$4.02 CA$5.59

-40.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$5.06 CA$7.03

-58.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.97

$3.02 CA$4.20

-49.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.41

$2.95 CA$4.10

-49.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.32

$2.60 CA$3.61

-61.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.68

$1.88 CA$2.61

-72.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$15.20 CA$21.12

-70.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿634

$14.30 CA$19.86

35.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$3.07 CA$4.27

-42.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.7

$3.74 CA$5.20

-27.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.83

$2.44 CA$3.39

-43.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$84.9 CA$118

-86.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.7

$3.74 CA$5.19

-19.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.51

$1.50 CA$2.09

-34.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$27.43 CA$38.11

-48.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.55

$1.34 CA$1.86

1.49%

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

$28.2K ฿921.9K

$25.1K CA$34.9K

12.31%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$20.7K CA$28.8K

58.71%

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

$122 ฿3,978

$91.8 CA$128

32.61%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$39.42 CA$54.8

-65.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿599

$61.1 CA$84.9

-70.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,969

$44.89 CA$62.4

34.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$15.68 CA$21.79

9.31%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$12.37 CA$17.18

-29.75%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$1,180 CA$1,640

-41.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.8K

$18.8K CA$26.1K

-16.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,946

$62.7 CA$87.1

-5.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,137

$43.13 CA$59.9

-19.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,746

$94.7 CA$132

20.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,723

$118 CA$164

-29.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$1,995 CA$2,771

-69.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$1,629 CA$2,264

-73.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.5K

$3,589 CA$4,986

-41.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$2,769 CA$3,848

-45.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

$9,246 CA$12.8K

-59.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

$7,086 CA$9,845

-63.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$3,474 CA$4,827

-85.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.61

-4.99%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Vancouver: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $1,995 in Vancouver. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 584% 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: $45.00 in Phuket vs $78.0 in Vancouver for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $415 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 Vancouver: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 124% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Vancouver earns 584% 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: $613 in Phuket versus $1,995 in Vancouver. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $1,180 in Vancouver. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 42% higher in Vancouver. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,831 in Vancouver, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Vancouver. 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 Vancouver, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Vancouver 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 124% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.