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: $2,557 in Saanich versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,595 in Saanich versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,633 in Saanich versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Saanich is roughly 102% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Saanich is 91% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.59 CA$20.27

$4.70 ฿154

210.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.1 CA$93.2

$45.37 ฿1,483

47.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.88 CA$15.12

$8.43 ฿276

29.06%

Cappuccino

$3.87 CA$5.38

$2.93 ฿95.7

32.08%

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

$2.24 CA$3.11

$0.69 ฿22.42

224.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 CA$2.52

$0.37 ฿12.00

389.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.30 CA$7.36

$2.41 ฿78.7

119.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.66 CA$9.25

$3.72 ฿122

79.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 CA$2.40

$2.23 ฿73.0

-22.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.82

$1.83 ฿59.9

50.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.29 CA$7.35

$2.17 ฿70.9

143.78%

Eggs

$3.60 CA$5.01

$2.21 ฿72.4

62.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.16 CA$15.51

$19.74 ฿645

-43.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.84 CA$17.85

$3.63 ฿119

253.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.15 CA$18.27

$13.53 ฿442

-2.81%

Apples (1kg)

$4.41 CA$6.13

$3.28 ฿107

34.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 CA$2.23

$1.61 ฿52.7

-0.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 CA$6.27

$2.41 ฿78.7

87.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 CA$6.78

$2.08 ฿68.1

134.62%

Potato (1kg)

$3.77 CA$5.24

$1.53 ฿49.97

146.41%

Onion (1kg)

$3.27 CA$4.54

$1.48 ฿48.41

120.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.65 CA$3.68

$0.99 ฿32.32

167.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 CA$3.49

$0.51 ฿16.68

392.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.85 CA$16.47

$4.41 ฿144

168.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.65 CA$21.74

$19.38 ฿634

-19.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.87 CA$5.38

$1.78 ฿58.1

117.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.55 CA$6.33

$2.71 ฿88.7

67.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.88 CA$2.61

$1.37 ฿44.83

37.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.7 CA$112

$11.39 ฿372

608.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 CA$3.75

$3.02 ฿98.7

-10.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 CA$1.91

$0.99 ฿32.51

38.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.68 CA$45.40

$14.10 ฿461

131.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 CA$1.88

$1.36 ฿44.55

-0.74%

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

$25.3K CA$35.2K

$28.2K ฿921.9K

-10.14%

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

$21.3K CA$29.5K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-35.41%

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

$136 CA$189

$122 ฿3,978

11.88%

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

$21.17 CA$29.41

$13.57 ฿444

56.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.0 CA$100

$18.31 ฿599

293.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.8 CA$103

$60.2 ฿1,969

22.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$11.65 CA$16.19

$8.69 ฿284

34.06%

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

$626 CA$870

$693 ฿22.7K

-9.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K CA$19.7K

$15.7K ฿512.8K

-9.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 CA$81.1

$59.5 ฿1,946

-2.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.36 CA$50.5

$34.77 ฿1,137

4.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.4 CA$134

$115 ฿3,746

-15.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 CA$156

$83.3 ฿2,723

34.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,480 CA$2,056

$613 ฿20.0K

141.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,359 CA$1,889

$437 ฿14.3K

211.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,129 CA$2,958

$2,094 ฿68.5K

1.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,919 CA$2,666

$1,509 ฿49.3K

27.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,368 CA$6,069

$3,749 ฿122.6K

16.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,304 CA$4,590

$2,616 ฿85.5K

26.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,943 CA$4,089

$508 ฿16.6K

479.22%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,480 in Saanich and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saanich pays 479% 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: $67.0 in Saanich vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $410 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

Saanich vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 102% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Saanich pays 479% more on average, 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: $1,480 in Saanich versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $626 in Saanich versus $693 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 40% higher in Saanich. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,557 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 102% less than in Saanich. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.