😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,301 in Simcoe, ON versus $1,265 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,745 in Simcoe, ON versus $2,297 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,189 in Simcoe, ON versus $3,329 in Phuket.
😐Living in Simcoe, ON is roughly 82% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Simcoe, ON is 72% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Simcoe, ON
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.19CA$22.51
$4.70฿153
244.47%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$71.3CA$99.2
$45.37฿1,482
57.24%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.56CA$16.08
$8.43฿275
37.13%
Cappuccino
$3.73CA$5.19
$2.93฿95.6
27.30%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.85CA$2.58
$0.69฿22.40
168.12%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.81CA$2.51
$0.37฿11.99
389.19%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.18CA$7.21
$2.41฿78.6
114.94%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.81CA$8.08
$3.72฿122
56.18%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Simcoe, ON
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.99CA$2.77
$2.23฿72.9
-10.76%
White Bread(500g)
$2.41CA$3.35
$1.83฿59.8
31.69%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.17CA$3.02
$2.17฿70.8
-
Eggs
$3.19CA$4.43
$2.21฿72.3
44.34%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.80CA$12.24
$19.74฿645
-55.42%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.94CA$12.43
$3.63฿119
146.28%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$21.98CA$30.56
$13.53฿442
62.45%
Apples(1kg)
$3.96CA$5.51
$3.28฿107
20.73%
Banana(1kg)
$0.91CA$1.27
$1.61฿52.6
-43.48%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.13CA$4.35
$2.41฿78.6
29.88%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.21CA$3.07
$2.08฿68.1
6.25%
Potato(1kg)
$2.17CA$3.02
$1.53฿49.93
41.83%
Onion(1kg)
$1.51CA$2.10
$1.48฿48.36
2.03%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.24CA$3.11
$0.99฿32.29
126.26%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.45CA$2.01
$0.51฿16.67
184.31%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$11.07CA$15.40
$4.41฿144
151.02%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.98CA$15.27
$19.38฿633
-43.34%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.72CA$3.79
$1.78฿58.1
52.81%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84CA$3.95
$2.71฿88.6
4.80%
🚌 Getting Around
Simcoe, ON
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.38CA$3.31
$1.37฿44.79
73.72%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$72.4CA$101
$11.39฿372
535.56%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.34CA$3.25
$3.02฿98.6
-22.52%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.70CA$2.36
$0.99฿32.48
71.72%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$33.39CA$46.43
$14.10฿461
136.81%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.07CA$1.48
$1.36฿44.51
-21.32%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.4KCA$35.3K
$28.2K฿921.1K
-9.99%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.8KCA$28.9K
$32.9K฿1.1M
-36.77%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Simcoe, ON
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$130CA$181
$122฿3,975
6.80%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$53.2CA$74.0
$13.57฿443
292.26%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$62.5CA$86.9
$18.31฿598
241.40%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Simcoe, ON
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$44.99CA$62.6
$60.2฿1,967
-25.29%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.14฿560
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.06CA$12.60
$8.69฿284
4.26%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Simcoe, ON
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$939CA$1,305
$693฿22.6K
35.37%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.2KCA$15.5K
$15.7K฿512.3K
-28.79%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Simcoe, ON
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.69CA$60.8
$59.5฿1,944
-26.61%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.22CA$54.6
$34.77฿1,136
12.80%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$67.1CA$93.3
$115฿3,743
-41.44%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$129CA$180
$83.3฿2,720
55.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Simcoe, ON
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,287CA$1,790
$613฿20.0K
109.96%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,199CA$1,667
$437฿14.3K
174.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,245CA$3,122
$2,094฿68.4K
7.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,673CA$3,718
$1,509฿49.3K
77.10%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,749฿122.5K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,616฿85.4K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Simcoe, ON
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,047CA$4,237
$508฿16.6K
499.67%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.55
5.33
22.89%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Simcoe, ON: May 30, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,287 in Simcoe, ON and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Simcoe, ON pays 500% 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: $71.0 in Simcoe, ON vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $328 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
Simcoe, ON vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Simcoe, ON?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 82% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Simcoe, ON or Phuket?
Simcoe, ON pays 500% 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 Simcoe, ON and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,287 in Simcoe, ON versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $939 in Simcoe, ON versus $693 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 Simcoe, ON and Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in Simcoe, ON. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Simcoe, ON or Phuket?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,301 in Simcoe, ON, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Simcoe, ON. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Simcoe, ON or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Simcoe, ON, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Simcoe, ON or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Simcoe, ON 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 82% less than in Simcoe, ON. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Simcoe, ON vs other spots: cost of living compared