😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,340 in Port Hardy versus $1,265 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,395 in Port Hardy versus $2,297 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,450 in Port Hardy versus $3,329 in Phuket.
😐Living in Port Hardy is roughly 85% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Port Hardy is 75% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Port Hardy
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.64CA$23.14
$4.70฿153
254.04%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$71.1CA$98.8
$45.37฿1,482
56.62%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.90CA$15.16
$8.43฿275
29.30%
Cappuccino
$3.86CA$5.36
$2.93฿95.6
31.74%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.04CA$2.83
$0.69฿22.40
195.65%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.65CA$2.30
$0.37฿11.99
345.95%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.63CA$7.83
$2.41฿78.6
133.61%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.01CA$8.36
$3.72฿122
61.56%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Port Hardy
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.10CA$2.92
$2.23฿72.9
-5.83%
White Bread(500g)
$2.70CA$3.75
$1.83฿59.8
47.54%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.65CA$5.08
$2.17฿70.8
68.20%
Eggs
$3.47CA$4.83
$2.21฿72.3
57.01%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.30CA$15.71
$19.74฿645
-42.76%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$11.71CA$16.28
$3.63฿119
222.59%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.65CA$20.38
$13.53฿442
8.28%
Apples(1kg)
$4.12CA$5.73
$3.28฿107
25.61%
Banana(1kg)
$1.42CA$1.97
$1.61฿52.6
-11.80%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.72CA$5.18
$2.41฿78.6
54.36%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.85CA$5.36
$2.08฿68.1
85.10%
Potato(1kg)
$2.41CA$3.35
$1.53฿49.93
57.52%
Onion(1kg)
$2.53CA$3.52
$1.48฿48.36
70.95%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.52CA$3.50
$0.99฿32.29
154.55%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.76CA$2.45
$0.51฿16.67
245.10%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$14.16CA$19.70
$4.41฿144
221.09%
Wine(Bottle)
$12.03CA$16.72
$19.38฿633
-37.93%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.95CA$4.11
$1.78฿58.1
65.73%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.16CA$4.40
$2.71฿88.6
16.61%
🚌 Getting Around
Port Hardy
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.35CA$3.27
$1.37฿44.79
71.53%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$62.2CA$86.5
$11.39฿372
446.18%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.09CA$4.29
$3.02฿98.6
2.32%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.48CA$2.06
$0.99฿32.48
49.49%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$25.30CA$35.18
$14.10฿461
79.43%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.15CA$1.60
$1.36฿44.51
-15.44%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.0KCA$34.8K
$28.2K฿921.1K
-11.28%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.8KCA$29.0K
$32.9K฿1.1M
-36.67%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Port Hardy
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$144CA$201
$122฿3,975
18.49%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$44.32CA$61.6
$13.57฿443
226.60%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$62.8CA$87.3
$18.31฿598
242.76%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Port Hardy
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$41.51CA$57.7
$60.2฿1,967
-31.07%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.14฿560
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.59CA$16.12
$8.69฿284
33.37%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Port Hardy
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$733CA$1,019
$693฿22.6K
5.72%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.7KCA$16.3K
$15.7K฿512.3K
-25.34%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Port Hardy
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.1CA$76.6
$59.5฿1,944
-7.51%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.58CA$55.1
$34.77฿1,136
13.83%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$86.9CA$121
$115฿3,743
-24.17%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106CA$148
$83.3฿2,720
27.82%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Port Hardy
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,306CA$1,816
$613฿20.0K
112.96%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,186CA$1,649
$437฿14.3K
171.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,048CA$2,849
$2,094฿68.4K
-2.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,842CA$2,561
$1,509฿49.3K
22.00%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,442CA$6,177
$3,749฿122.5K
18.46%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,605CA$5,014
$2,616฿85.4K
37.82%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Port Hardy
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,293CA$4,580
$508฿16.6K
548.14%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.46
5.33
21.20%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Port Hardy: May 30, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,306 in Port Hardy and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Port Hardy pays 548% 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: $71.0 in Port Hardy vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $365 vs $293 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 Hardy vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Port Hardy?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 85% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Port Hardy or Phuket?
Port Hardy pays 548% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Port Hardy and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,306 in Port Hardy versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $733 in Port Hardy versus $693 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Port Hardy and Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 25% higher in Port Hardy. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Port Hardy or Phuket?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,340 in Port Hardy, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Port Hardy. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Port Hardy or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Port Hardy, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Port Hardy or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Port Hardy 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 85% less than in Port Hardy. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Port Hardy vs other spots: cost of living compared