Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Schwechat and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,278 a month against $2,284 in Schwechat, rent and utilities included – about $12,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Schwechat, Austria
Phuket, Thailand
Schwechat
🇦🇹 Austria
$2,284
/mo nomad
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Schwechat and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Schwechat and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,284 in Schwechat versus $1,278 in Phuket.

  • Schwechat $2,284
  • Phuket $1,278

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,370 in Schwechat versus $2,216 in Phuket.

  • Schwechat $3,370
  • Phuket $2,216

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,456 in Schwechat versus $3,154 in Phuket.

  • Schwechat $4,456
  • Phuket $3,154

Living in Schwechat is roughly 79% more expensive than in Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Schwechat is 68% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Schwechat
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.94 €16.03
$4.47 ฿151
301.34%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$78.2 €69.8
$32.41 ฿1,092
141.13%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.47 €12.03
$8.81 ฿297
52.89%
Cappuccino
$5.10 €4.55
$2.83 ฿95.3
80.21%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.96 €3.53
$0.87 ฿29.37
355.17%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.26 €2.91
$0.49 ฿16.64
565.31%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.78 €5.16
$2.56 ฿86.2
125.78%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.31 €4.75
$3.68 ฿124
44.29%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Schwechat
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.56 €1.40
$1.66 ฿55.9
-6.02%
White Bread (500g)
$2.18 €1.95
$1.46 ฿49.25
49.32%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.55 €2.28
$1.50 ฿50.4
70.00%
Eggs
$4.50 €4.02
$2.09 ฿70.4
115.31%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$21.45 €19.16
$19.07 ฿642
12.48%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.43 €12.89
$3.30 ฿111
337.27%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$22.76 €20.33
$10.91 ฿368
108.62%
Apples (1kg)
$2.82 €2.52
$2.93 ฿98.7
-3.75%
Banana (1kg)
$2.22 €1.98
$1.69 ฿56.9
31.36%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.60 €3.21
$2.25 ฿75.7
60.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$7.42 €6.63
$2.08 ฿70.0
256.73%
Potato (1kg)
$2.18 €1.95
$1.51 ฿50.9
44.37%
Onion (1kg)
$1.85 €1.66
$1.38 ฿46.47
34.06%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.89 €1.69
$1.07 ฿35.91
76.64%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.82 €0.73
$0.52 ฿17.49
57.69%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.21 €6.44
$4.20 ฿142
71.67%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.25 €7.37
$18.79 ฿633
-56.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.42 €1.27
$1.82 ฿61.4
-21.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.87 €1.67
$2.84 ฿95.7
-34.15%
🚌 Getting Around
Schwechat
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.85 €2.54
$1.45 ฿48.93
96.55%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$61.1 €54.6
$56.7 ฿1,909
7.80%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.93 €4.40
$3.02 ฿102
63.25%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.09 €1.87
$1.02 ฿34.29
104.90%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$44.40 €39.66
$3.69 ฿124
1103.25%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.94 €1.73
$1.47 ฿49.70
31.97%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.4K €26.2K
$26.8K ฿902.4K
9.72%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.2K €27.9K
$26.7K ฿899.5K
16.88%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Schwechat
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$322 €288
$96.4 ฿3,247
234.16%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.92 €12.43
$11.26 ฿380
23.62%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.93 €29.42
$16.85 ฿568
95.43%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Schwechat
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.19 €35.90
$67.2 ฿2,266
-40.22%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.50 €21.88
$10.73 ฿361
128.33%
Cinema Ticket
$14.95 €13.35
$7.50 ฿253
99.33%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Schwechat
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$387 €345
$476 ฿16.0K
-18.74%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$27.8K €24.9K
$11.3K ฿379.6K
147.15%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Schwechat
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.9 €80.3
$62.4 ฿2,102
44.16%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.37 €34.27
$28.41 ฿957
35.06%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.8 €81.1
$94.3 ฿3,178
-3.66%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$132 €118
$85.8 ฿2,892
54.02%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Schwechat
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$979 €874
$716 ฿24.1K
36.71%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$881 €787
$491 ฿16.5K
79.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,619 €1,446
$1,927 ฿64.9K
-15.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,400 €1,250
$1,431 ฿48.2K
-2.17%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,960 €6,217
$4,175 ฿140.7K
66.69%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,937 €5,303
$3,045 ฿102.6K
95.02%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Schwechat
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,345 €4,774
$502 ฿16.9K
964.10%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.41
5.57
-38.78%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Schwechat: October 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Schwechat
$881
Phuket
$491 44.3% $390
Groceries & Markets
Schwechat
$404
Phuket
$266 34.2% $138
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Schwechat
$369
Phuket
$124 66.3% $244
Eating Out
Schwechat
$313
Phuket
$122 61.2% $192
Clothing & Footwear
Schwechat
$158
Phuket
$122 22.9% $36
Getting Around
Schwechat
$88
Phuket
$71 19.7% $17
Sport & Entertainment
Schwechat
$70
Phuket
$82 17.3% $12

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $979 in Schwechat and $716 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Schwechat pays about 11 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $78 in Schwechat vs $32 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $404 vs $266 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇦🇹 Schwechat
🇹🇭 Phuket
🕒 Local time
11:37 11:37 AM
17:37 5:37 PM
6 h ahead of Schwechat
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
12,351
79,308
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 0.893 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 33.7 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.73 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Schwechat Phuket 8,760 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Schwechat
  • Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 about 44% cheaper overall, especially in eating out, groceries, and clothing. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Schwechat or Phuket?
Average pay in Schwechat is about 11 times higher, 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: $979 in Schwechat versus $716 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $387 in Schwechat versus $476 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 in Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 52% higher in Schwechat. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Schwechat or in Phuket?
At $1,278 in Phuket versus $2,284 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 it better to live in Schwechat or in Phuket?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Which city is safer, Schwechat or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Schwechat and Phuket are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Schwechat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Schwechat vs other spots: cost of living compared

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