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: $1,896 in Port Alberni versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,996 in Port Alberni versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,097 in Port Alberni versus $3,248 in Phuket.

Living in Port Alberni is roughly 50% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Port Alberni is 42% above, Phuket is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.61 CA$23.31

$4.48 ฿150

270.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.8 CA$76.9

$45.59 ฿1,525

20.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 CA$15.38

$8.76 ฿293

25.11%

Cappuccino

$4.29 CA$6.02

$2.97 ฿99.3

44.44%

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

$2.10 CA$2.95

$0.69 ฿22.96

204.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 CA$1.51

$0.39 ฿13.07

174.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.66 CA$5.14

$2.53 ฿84.7

44.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.65 CA$7.93

$3.75 ฿125

50.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.63 CA$3.70

$2.15 ฿71.8

22.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 CA$2.56

$1.82 ฿60.7

0.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 CA$4.24

$2.18 ฿73.1

38.53%

Eggs

$3.66 CA$5.13

$2.25 ฿75.2

62.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.75 CA$8.07

$20.00 ฿669

-71.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.46 CA$6.26

$3.63 ฿121

22.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.36 CA$34.19

$13.56 ฿453

79.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 CA$4.03

$3.24 ฿109

-11.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 CA$1.57

$1.64 ฿54.7

-31.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 CA$4.23

$2.33 ฿78.0

29.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.34 CA$4.69

$2.07 ฿69.3

61.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 CA$3.08

$1.55 ฿51.8

41.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 CA$2.76

$1.46 ฿48.67

34.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 CA$3.18

$0.98 ฿32.94

130.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 CA$1.09

$0.48 ฿16.13

60.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.87 CA$15.25

$4.35 ฿146

149.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.44 CA$14.66

$18.57 ฿621

-43.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.98 CA$5.58

$1.86 ฿62.1

113.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 CA$5.58

$2.65 ฿88.8

50.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.50 CA$2.10

$1.42 ฿47.40

5.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.70 CA$50.1

$11.57 ฿387

208.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.82 CA$3.96

$3.17 ฿106

-11.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CA$2.08

$1.03 ฿34.51

44.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.56 CA$40.09

$13.89 ฿465

105.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 CA$1.82

$1.34 ฿44.96

-3.73%

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

$25.4K CA$35.7K

$27.8K ฿929.6K

-8.53%

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

$21.1K CA$29.6K

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-36.84%

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

$191 CA$268

$123 ฿4,116

55.11%

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

$38.30 CA$53.8

$13.77 ฿461

178.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.0 CA$95.4

$18.33 ฿613

270.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.67 CA$59.9

$60.7 ฿2,030

-29.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿574

Cinema Ticket

$12.54 CA$17.60

$8.87 ฿297

41.38%

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

$903 CA$1,267

$688 ฿23.0K

31.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.5K CA$17.6K

$15.8K ฿527.8K

-20.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 CA$77.9

$59.3 ฿1,984

-6.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 CA$74.8

$34.69 ฿1,160

53.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 CA$146

$115 ฿3,853

-9.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.5 CA$134

$83.8 ฿2,802

14.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$725 CA$1,017

$621 ฿20.8K

16.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 CA$1,024

$446 ฿14.9K

63.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,676 CA$2,352

$2,034 ฿68.0K

-17.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,589 CA$2,230

$1,496 ฿50.0K

6.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,075 CA$4,316

$494 ฿16.5K

522.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

5.33

22.70%

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

Last update for Port Alberni: July 25, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $725 in Port Alberni and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Port Alberni pays 523% 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: $55.0 in Port Alberni vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $311 vs $291 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 50% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 523% 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: $725 in Port Alberni versus $621 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $903 in Port Alberni versus $688 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Port Alberni. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,896 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 50% less than in Port Alberni. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.