😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,151 in Schaffhausen versus $1,270 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,931 in Schaffhausen versus $2,304 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,712 in Schaffhausen versus $3,339 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 135% above, Phuket is 5% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Schaffhausen
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$31.31CHF 24.55
$4.66฿150
571.89%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$125CHF 98.1
$46.44฿1,496
169.51%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$15.86CHF 12.43
$8.68฿280
82.72%
Cappuccino
$5.43CHF 4.26
$2.95฿95.0
84.07%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.42CHF 4.25
$0.70฿22.52
674.29%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.42CHF 3.47
$0.39฿12.70
1033.33%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$8.20CHF 6.43
$2.53฿81.6
224.11%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.59CHF 5.95
$3.78฿122
100.79%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Schaffhausen
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.90CHF 1.49
$2.22฿71.5
-14.41%
White Bread(500g)
$3.79CHF 2.97
$1.80฿57.8
110.56%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.55CHF 2.79
$2.19฿70.4
62.10%
Eggs
$7.66CHF 6.01
$2.31฿74.5
231.60%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$29.66CHF 23.25
$19.34฿623
53.36%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$35.28CHF 27.66
$3.77฿121
835.81%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$51.8CHF 40.59
$13.22฿426
291.60%
Apples(1kg)
$3.77CHF 2.95
$3.33฿107
13.21%
Banana(1kg)
$2.24CHF 1.76
$1.65฿53.1
35.76%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.87CHF 2.25
$2.29฿73.7
25.33%
Tomato(1kg)
$6.02CHF 4.72
$1.99฿64.1
202.51%
Potato(1kg)
$2.46CHF 1.93
$1.53฿49.24
60.78%
Onion(1kg)
$2.44CHF 1.92
$1.51฿48.77
61.59%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.67CHF 2.10
$1.03฿33.12
159.22%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.28CHF 1.01
$0.51฿16.57
150.98%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$11.29CHF 8.85
$4.41฿142
156.01%
Wine(Bottle)
$13.90CHF 10.90
$19.41฿625
-28.39%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36CHF 1.07
$1.80฿58.0
-24.44%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75CHF 2.15
$2.68฿86.4
2.61%
🚌 Getting Around
Schaffhausen
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$3.79CHF 2.97
$1.43฿46.11
165.03%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$85.1CHF 66.7
$11.70฿377
627.52%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$10.08CHF 7.91
$3.04฿97.9
231.58%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$4.11CHF 3.22
$1.04฿33.37
295.19%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$62.3CHF 48.83
$13.68฿441
355.34%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.15CHF 1.69
$1.30฿41.85
65.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$40.9KCHF 32.0K
$27.9K฿898.9K
46.44%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$42.5KCHF 33.3K
$33.0K฿1.1M
28.61%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Schaffhausen
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$242CHF 190
$123฿3,962
97.09%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.69CHF 22.49
$13.82฿445
107.60%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$43.53CHF 34.13
$18.86฿608
130.81%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Schaffhausen
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$109CHF 85.7
$61.2฿1,970
78.72%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$47.51CHF 37.25
$16.81฿541
182.63%
Cinema Ticket
$22.50CHF 17.64
$8.87฿286
153.66%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Schaffhausen
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$3,325CHF 2,607
$696฿22.4K
377.43%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$43.6KCHF 34.1K
$16.1K฿517.4K
171.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Schaffhausen
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$112CHF 87.9
$59.3฿1,910
89.17%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$68.3CHF 53.5
$34.85฿1,123
95.93%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$130CHF 102
$113฿3,646
14.63%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$158CHF 124
$85.1฿2,740
85.86%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Schaffhausen
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,214CHF 952
$615฿19.8K
97.31%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,221CHF 957
$448฿14.4K
172.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,754CHF 2,159
$2,085฿67.2K
32.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,163CHF 1,696
$1,496฿48.2K
44.57%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$8,567CHF 6,717
$3,734฿120.3K
129.41%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,910CHF 5,417
$2,662฿85.8K
159.58%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Schaffhausen
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$9,437CHF 7,398
$534฿17.2K
1668.68%
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: April 20, 2026
Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,214 in Schaffhausen and $615 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Schaffhausen pays 1669% 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: $125 in Schaffhausen vs $46 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $675 vs $291 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 1669% 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: $1,214 in Schaffhausen versus $615 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $3,325 in Schaffhausen versus $696 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 132% 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 $1,270 in Phuket versus $3,151 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