😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,132 in Schaffhausen versus $1,261 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,926 in Schaffhausen versus $2,286 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,720 in Schaffhausen versus $3,310 in Phuket.
😐Living in Schaffhausen is roughly 148% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Schaffhausen is 133% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Schaffhausen
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$30.39CHF 24.29
$4.56฿150
566.45%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$124CHF 99.4
$46.63฿1,535
166.59%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$15.82CHF 12.65
$8.47฿279
86.78%
Cappuccino
$5.42CHF 4.33
$3.03฿99.7
78.88%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.36CHF 4.28
$0.69฿22.69
676.81%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.37CHF 3.49
$0.37฿12.04
1081.08%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$7.95CHF 6.36
$2.49฿81.9
219.28%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.35CHF 5.88
$3.66฿120
100.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Schaffhausen
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.96CHF 1.57
$2.18฿71.8
-10.09%
White Bread(500g)
$3.77CHF 3.01
$1.90฿62.6
98.42%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.61CHF 2.88
$2.20฿72.4
64.09%
Eggs
$7.87CHF 6.29
$2.22฿73.2
254.50%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$29.45CHF 23.54
$19.99฿658
47.32%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$35.04CHF 28.01
$3.66฿121
857.38%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$51.8CHF 41.39
$13.25฿436
290.79%
Apples(1kg)
$3.68CHF 2.94
$3.23฿106
13.93%
Banana(1kg)
$2.33CHF 1.86
$1.70฿55.9
37.06%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.94CHF 2.35
$2.39฿78.8
23.01%
Tomato(1kg)
$6.14CHF 4.91
$2.08฿68.4
195.19%
Potato(1kg)
$2.42CHF 1.94
$1.59฿52.4
52.20%
Onion(1kg)
$2.49CHF 1.99
$1.48฿48.83
68.24%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.56CHF 2.05
$1.03฿33.90
148.54%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.28CHF 1.02
$0.52฿17.01
146.15%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$10.97CHF 8.77
$4.25฿140
158.12%
Wine(Bottle)
$12.33CHF 9.85
$18.79฿618
-34.38%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.37CHF 1.09
$1.76฿57.8
-22.16%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71CHF 2.16
$2.76฿90.8
-1.81%
🚌 Getting Around
Schaffhausen
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$3.98CHF 3.18
$1.36฿44.79
192.65%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$87.3CHF 69.7
$11.36฿374
668.05%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$10.15CHF 8.11
$3.14฿103
223.25%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.89CHF 3.11
$1.04฿34.10
274.04%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$60.6CHF 48.41
$13.77฿453
339.80%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.21CHF 1.76
$1.34฿44.26
64.93%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$40.3KCHF 32.2K
$27.7K฿911.1K
45.59%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$42.6KCHF 34.1K
$33.9K฿1.1M
25.85%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Schaffhausen
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$247CHF 197
$124฿4,069
99.69%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.92CHF 23.11
$13.52฿445
113.91%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$43.93CHF 35.11
$18.69฿615
135.05%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Schaffhausen
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$109CHF 87.2
$61.8฿2,035
76.48%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$47.61CHF 38.06
$17.25฿568
176.00%
Cinema Ticket
$22.53CHF 18.01
$9.14฿301
146.50%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Schaffhausen
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$3,388CHF 2,708
$703฿23.1K
382.12%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$42.4KCHF 33.9K
$15.9K฿522.5K
167.35%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Schaffhausen
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$111CHF 89.1
$59.5฿1,958
87.45%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$66.4CHF 53.1
$35.07฿1,154
89.36%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$129CHF 103
$115฿3,795
12.25%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$155CHF 124
$84.1฿2,767
84.78%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Schaffhausen
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,216CHF 972
$619฿20.4K
96.63%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,222CHF 977
$433฿14.2K
182.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,692CHF 2,152
$2,062฿67.9K
30.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,197CHF 1,756
$1,511฿49.7K
45.37%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$8,390CHF 6,706
$3,646฿120.0K
130.13%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,769CHF 5,410
$2,626฿86.4K
157.80%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Schaffhausen
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$9,336CHF 7,463
$507฿16.7K
1741.50%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
2.5
5.33
-53.10%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Schaffhausen: June 9, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,216 in Schaffhausen and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Schaffhausen pays 1741% 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: $124 in Schaffhausen vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $672 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
Schaffhausen vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Schaffhausen?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 148% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Schaffhausen or Phuket?
Schaffhausen pays 1741% 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 Schaffhausen and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,216 in Schaffhausen versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $3,388 in Schaffhausen versus $703 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 Schaffhausen and Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 129% higher in Schaffhausen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Schaffhausen or Phuket?
At $1,261 in Phuket versus $3,132 in Schaffhausen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Schaffhausen. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Schaffhausen or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Schaffhausen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Schaffhausen or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Schaffhausen 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 148% less than in Schaffhausen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Schaffhausen vs other spots: cost of living compared