Cost of Living Comparison Between Saanich and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Saanich and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,643 in Saanich versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,643 in Saanich versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,644 in Saanich versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Saanich is roughly 111% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Saanich is 98% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.59 CA$20.53

$4.55 ฿153

220.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.3 CA$93.3

$46.18 ฿1,553

43.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.18 CA$15.73

$8.84 ฿297

26.47%

Cappuccino

$4.03 CA$5.68

$3.06 ฿103

31.70%

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

$2.27 CA$3.19

$0.73 ฿24.40

210.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 CA$2.60

$0.40 ฿13.39

362.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.17 CA$7.27

$2.43 ฿81.8

112.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.65 CA$9.35

$3.78 ฿127

75.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 CA$2.37

$2.26 ฿76.0

-25.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.69 CA$3.78

$1.81 ฿60.9

48.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.11 CA$7.19

$2.25 ฿75.8

127.11%

Eggs

$3.59 CA$5.06

$2.25 ฿75.5

59.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.33 CA$15.94

$19.51 ฿656

-41.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.96 CA$18.23

$3.65 ฿123

255.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.15 CA$18.50

$13.05 ฿439

0.77%

Apples (1kg)

$4.36 CA$6.14

$3.23 ฿109

34.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 CA$2.25

$1.62 ฿54.4

-1.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 CA$6.39

$2.38 ฿80.1

90.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 CA$7.00

$2.03 ฿68.1

144.83%

Potato (1kg)

$3.81 CA$5.37

$1.53 ฿51.6

149.02%

Onion (1kg)

$3.25 CA$4.58

$1.50 ฿50.5

116.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.66 CA$3.75

$0.98 ฿32.91

171.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 CA$3.45

$0.52 ฿17.39

371.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.74 CA$16.51

$4.44 ฿149

164.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.42 CA$21.70

$18.32 ฿616

-15.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.93 CA$5.53

$1.86 ฿62.7

111.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.58 CA$6.44

$2.68 ฿90.1

70.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.79 CA$2.52

$1.41 ฿47.46

26.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.3 CA$113

$11.70 ฿393

586.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 CA$3.77

$3.11 ฿105

-13.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 CA$1.86

$1.04 ฿35.06

26.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.64 CA$45.92

$14.11 ฿474

131.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 CA$1.89

$1.31 ฿44.10

2.29%

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

$25.1K CA$35.4K

$27.8K ฿935.4K

-9.62%

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

$20.7K CA$29.2K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-37.56%

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

$134 CA$188

$122 ฿4,118

9.14%

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

$21.19 CA$29.81

$13.59 ฿457

55.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.1 CA$103

$18.70 ฿629

290.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.8 CA$104

$60.5 ฿2,034

22.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

Cinema Ticket

$11.66 CA$16.40

$9.07 ฿305

28.56%

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

$628 CA$884

$706 ฿23.8K

-11.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K CA$19.7K

$15.8K ฿531.5K

-11.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 CA$80.1

$58.6 ฿1,969

-2.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.29 CA$52.5

$35.36 ฿1,189

5.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.1 CA$135

$115 ฿3,883

-16.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 CA$158

$83.7 ฿2,816

33.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,525 CA$2,146

$626 ฿21.0K

143.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,347 CA$1,896

$445 ฿15.0K

202.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,148 CA$3,022

$2,040 ฿68.6K

5.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,951 CA$2,745

$1,492 ฿50.2K

30.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,956 CA$4,160

$500 ฿16.8K

491.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.18

5.33

15.95%

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

Last update for Saanich: July 11, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,525 in Saanich and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saanich pays 491% 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: $66.0 in Saanich vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $409 vs $289 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

Saanich vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 111% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 491% higher in Saanich, 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: $1,525 in Saanich versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $628 in Saanich versus $706 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 41% higher in Saanich. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,250 in Phuket versus $2,643 in Saanich, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Saanich. 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 Saanich, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Saanich 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 111% less than in Saanich. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.