😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,317 in Schwechat versus $1,261 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,377 in Schwechat versus $2,286 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,437 in Schwechat versus $3,310 in Phuket.
😐Living in Schwechat is roughly 84% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Schwechat is 72% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Schwechat
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.47€15.05
$4.56฿149
283.11%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$79.5€68.5
$46.63฿1,519
70.53%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.66€10.05
$8.47฿276
37.66%
Cappuccino
$5.03€4.33
$3.03฿98.6
66.01%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.01€3.46
$0.69฿22.45
481.16%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.54€3.05
$0.37฿11.92
856.76%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.42€4.67
$2.49฿81.0
117.67%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.30€4.57
$3.66฿119
44.81%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Schwechat
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.68€1.45
$2.18฿71.0
-22.94%
White Bread(500g)
$2.93€2.52
$1.90฿62.0
54.21%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.72€2.34
$2.20฿71.6
23.64%
Eggs
$4.57€3.94
$2.22฿72.4
105.86%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$23.08€19.89
$19.99฿651
15.46%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$15.05€12.97
$3.66฿119
311.20%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$23.66€20.38
$13.25฿432
78.57%
Apples(1kg)
$2.87€2.47
$3.23฿105
-11.15%
Banana(1kg)
$2.37€2.04
$1.70฿55.3
39.41%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.37€2.90
$2.39฿78.0
41.00%
Tomato(1kg)
$8.89€7.66
$2.08฿67.7
327.40%
Potato(1kg)
$2.33€2.01
$1.59฿51.8
46.54%
Onion(1kg)
$2.08€1.80
$1.48฿48.31
40.54%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.86€1.60
$1.03฿33.54
80.58%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.91€0.78
$0.52฿16.83
75.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.11€6.13
$4.25฿138
67.29%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.89€7.66
$18.79฿612
-52.69%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.47€1.26
$1.76฿57.2
-16.48%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.00€1.72
$2.76฿89.8
-27.54%
🚌 Getting Around
Schwechat
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.93€2.53
$1.36฿44.32
115.44%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$61.1€52.6
$11.36฿370
437.59%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.72€4.07
$3.14฿102
50.32%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.13€1.83
$1.04฿33.74
104.81%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$37.47€32.28
$13.77฿448
172.11%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.74€1.50
$1.34฿43.79
29.85%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.4K€25.4K
$27.7K฿901.4K
6.32%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.3K€23.5K
$33.9K฿1.1M
-19.51%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Schwechat
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$329€284
$124฿4,025
166.54%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.54€14.25
$13.52฿440
22.34%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$40.68€35.05
$18.69฿609
117.66%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Schwechat
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$47.57€40.99
$61.8฿2,013
-23.05%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.53€22.00
$17.25฿562
48.00%
Cinema Ticket
$16.11€13.88
$9.14฿298
76.26%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Schwechat
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$327€282
$703฿22.9K
-53.42%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,318€6,305
$15.9K฿517.0K
-53.90%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Schwechat
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$101€87.2
$59.5฿1,937
70.22%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.93€38.71
$35.07฿1,142
28.12%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$102€87.8
$115฿3,754
-11.62%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$139€119
$84.1฿2,737
64.94%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Schwechat
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$880€758
$619฿20.1K
42.26%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$816€703
$433฿14.1K
88.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,613€1,390
$2,062฿67.2K
-21.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,301€1,121
$1,511฿49.2K
-13.87%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$6,670€5,747
$3,646฿118.7K
82.95%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$5,222€4,499
$2,626฿85.5K
98.88%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Schwechat
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$5,366€4,623
$507฿16.5K
958.31%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.6
5.33
-32.46%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Schwechat: June 8, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $880 in Schwechat and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Schwechat pays 958% 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: $80.0 in Schwechat vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $436 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
Schwechat vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Schwechat?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 84% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Schwechat or Phuket?
Schwechat pays 958% 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 Schwechat and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $880 in Schwechat 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 $327 in Schwechat 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 Schwechat and Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 49% higher in Schwechat. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Schwechat or Phuket?
At $1,261 in Phuket versus $2,317 in Schwechat, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Schwechat. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Schwechat or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Schwechat, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Schwechat or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Schwechat 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 84% less than in Schwechat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.