Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Alberni and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Alberni and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,738 in Port Alberni versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,853 in Port Alberni versus $2,089 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,969 in Port Alberni versus $2,913 in Phuket.

Living in Port Alberni is roughly 37% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Port Alberni is 26% above, Phuket is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.94 CA$24.88

$4.66 ฿154

284.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 CA$88.0

$32.22 ฿1,065

96.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.67 CA$14.79

$8.68 ฿287

22.93%

Cappuccino

$4.17 CA$5.78

$2.90 ฿95.8

43.79%

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

$2.12 CA$2.94

$0.84 ฿27.89

152.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 CA$1.99

$0.49 ฿16.16

193.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.63 CA$5.04

$2.48 ฿82.0

46.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.28 CA$7.32

$3.73 ฿123

41.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 CA$2.92

$1.89 ฿62.3

11.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 CA$3.31

$1.41 ฿46.54

68.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.09

$1.62 ฿53.6

82.10%

Eggs

$3.94 CA$5.46

$2.24 ฿74.1

75.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 CA$13.29

$19.84 ฿656

-51.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.45 CA$6.17

$3.48 ฿115

27.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.30 CA$28.15

$11.37 ฿376

78.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 CA$3.94

$2.90 ฿95.8

-2.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 CA$1.54

$1.72 ฿57.0

-35.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.53 CA$4.89

$2.27 ฿75.1

55.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.59 CA$4.98

$2.13 ฿70.4

68.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 CA$2.99

$1.47 ฿48.72

46.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.84 CA$2.56

$1.42 ฿46.92

29.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 CA$2.97

$1.10 ฿36.25

94.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 CA$0.95

$0.60 ฿19.76

15.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.98 CA$15.22

$4.31 ฿142

154.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.97 CA$15.21

$18.60 ฿615

-41.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 CA$3.75

$1.80 ฿59.5

50.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 CA$4.14

$2.97 ฿98.0

0.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 CA$2.05

$2.25 ฿74.2

-34.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.78 CA$48.23

$23.49 ฿776

48.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.72 CA$3.78

$3.10 ฿102

-12.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 CA$2.22

$1.08 ฿35.56

48.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.86 CA$44.18

$3.87 ฿128

723.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 CA$1.62

$1.43 ฿47.16

-18.18%

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

$28.4K CA$39.4K

$27.8K ฿918.0K

2.12%

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

$20.0K CA$27.7K

$27.0K ฿891.5K

-26.04%

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

$79.9 CA$111

$105 ฿3,462

-23.77%

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

$36.68 CA$50.9

$11.39 ฿376

222.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 CA$71.3

$17.54 ฿580

192.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.24 CA$61.4

$54.3 ฿1,795

-18.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$11.78 CA$16.34

$7.78 ฿257

51.41%

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

$1,109 CA$1,539

$576 ฿19.0K

92.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.6K CA$27.2K

$11.6K ฿382.7K

69.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 CA$83.3

$63.6 ฿2,103

-5.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.92 CA$49.82

$29.10 ฿961

23.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 CA$124

$96.2 ฿3,179

-7.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.9 CA$132

$90.0 ฿2,974

5.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$806 CA$1,118

$733 ฿24.2K

9.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$735 CA$1,020

$501 ฿16.5K

46.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,752 CA$2,430

$2,126 ฿70.2K

-17.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,732 CA$2,402

$1,252 ฿41.4K

38.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,104 CA$4,305

$508 ฿16.8K

511.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.21

5.57

-24.42%

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

Last update for Port Alberni: September 7, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $806 in Port Alberni and $733 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Port Alberni pays 512% 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: $63.0 in Port Alberni vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $306 vs $275 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

Port Alberni vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 37% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 512% higher in Port Alberni, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $806 in Port Alberni versus $733 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,109 in Port Alberni versus $576 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Port Alberni. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,738 in Port Alberni, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Port Alberni. 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 Port Alberni, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Port Alberni and Phuket 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 37% less than in Port Alberni. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.