😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,172 in Schaffhausen versus $1,261 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,928 in Schaffhausen versus $2,276 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,685 in Schaffhausen versus $3,291 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Schaffhausen is roughly 152% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Schaffhausen is 137% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Schaffhausen
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$31.30CHF 25.55
$4.53฿152
590.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$122CHF 99.4
$46.36฿1,558
162.79%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$16.11CHF 13.15
$8.65฿291
86.24%
Cappuccino
$5.68CHF 4.63
$3.09฿104
83.82%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.36CHF 4.37
$0.68฿22.79
688.24%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.37CHF 3.57
$0.37฿12.38
1081.08%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$7.99CHF 6.52
$2.42฿81.2
230.17%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.57CHF 6.18
$3.81฿128
98.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Schaffhausen
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.96CHF 1.60
$2.18฿73.2
-10.09%
White Bread(500g)
$3.78CHF 3.09
$1.82฿61.1
107.69%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.69CHF 3.01
$2.18฿73.2
69.27%
Eggs
$7.84CHF 6.40
$2.24฿75.1
250.00%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$29.80CHF 24.32
$19.93฿670
49.52%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$35.49CHF 28.97
$3.64฿122
875.00%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$51.0CHF 41.59
$13.56฿456
275.81%
Apples(1kg)
$3.69CHF 3.01
$3.29฿111
12.16%
Banana(1kg)
$2.26CHF 1.84
$1.69฿56.6
33.73%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.88CHF 2.35
$2.33฿78.4
23.61%
Tomato(1kg)
$6.10CHF 4.98
$2.03฿68.1
200.49%
Potato(1kg)
$2.49CHF 2.03
$1.60฿53.8
55.63%
Onion(1kg)
$2.48CHF 2.03
$1.49฿50.2
66.44%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.67CHF 2.18
$1.01฿34.02
164.36%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.27CHF 1.04
$0.48฿16.02
164.58%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$10.94CHF 8.93
$4.45฿150
145.84%
Wine(Bottle)
$13.42CHF 10.95
$18.63฿626
-27.97%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36CHF 1.11
$1.79฿60.0
-24.02%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.60CHF 2.12
$2.80฿94.0
-7.14%
🚌 Getting Around
Schaffhausen
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$3.95CHF 3.22
$1.42฿47.69
178.17%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$85.7CHF 69.9
$11.33฿381
656.05%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$10.05CHF 8.20
$3.09฿104
225.24%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$4.04CHF 3.30
$1.04฿35.03
288.46%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$61.9CHF 50.5
$13.63฿458
354.22%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.13CHF 1.74
$1.31฿44.03
62.60%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.7KCHF 32.4K
$27.3K฿916.6K
45.51%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$42.4KCHF 34.6K
$33.2K฿1.1M
27.75%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Schaffhausen
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$247CHF 202
$123฿4,138
100.62%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.70CHF 23.42
$13.81฿464
107.82%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.94CHF 35.05
$18.52฿622
131.86%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Schaffhausen
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$109CHF 88.6
$60.4฿2,028
79.79%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$47.47CHF 38.74
$16.80฿564
182.56%
Cinema Ticket
$22.34CHF 18.24
$8.89฿299
151.29%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Schaffhausen
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$3,354CHF 2,738
$687฿23.1K
388.50%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$43.5KCHF 35.5K
$15.6K฿522.5K
179.43%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Schaffhausen
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$112CHF 91.4
$57.6฿1,936
94.24%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$67.7CHF 55.2
$34.66฿1,165
95.24%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$133CHF 109
$115฿3,861
15.82%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$154CHF 126
$84.9฿2,853
81.67%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Schaffhausen
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,226CHF 1,001
$618฿20.7K
98.54%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,247CHF 1,018
$443฿14.9K
181.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,660CHF 2,171
$2,047฿68.8K
29.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,215CHF 1,808
$1,506฿50.6K
47.07%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$8,226CHF 6,714
$3,568฿119.9K
130.53%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$8,564CHF 6,990
$2,511฿84.4K
241.08%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Schaffhausen
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$7,453CHF 6,083
$503฿16.9K
1382.51%
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: July 21, 2026
Last update for Phuket: July 20, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,226 in Schaffhausen and $618 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Schaffhausen pays 1383% 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: $122 in Schaffhausen vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $675 vs $292 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 152% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Schaffhausen or Phuket?
Average pay runs 1383% higher in Schaffhausen, 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: $1,226 in Schaffhausen versus $618 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $3,354 in Schaffhausen versus $687 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 in Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 131% higher in Schaffhausen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Schaffhausen or in Phuket?
At $1,261 in Phuket versus $3,172 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 152% 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