Cost of Living Comparison Between Squamish, BC and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Squamish, BC and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,745 in Squamish, BC versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,106 in Squamish, BC versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,467 in Squamish, BC versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Squamish, BC is roughly 120% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Squamish, BC is 105% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.18 CA$21.29

$4.55 ฿153

233.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.8 CA$103

$46.18 ฿1,554

59.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.02 CA$15.45

$8.84 ฿298

24.66%

Cappuccino

$4.24 CA$5.94

$3.06 ฿103

38.56%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 CA$2.84

$0.73 ฿24.42

176.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 CA$2.01

$0.40 ฿13.40

260.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.94 CA$8.33

$2.43 ฿81.8

144.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 CA$8.20

$3.78 ฿127

54.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 CA$2.56

$2.26 ฿76.0

-19.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.65 CA$3.72

$1.81 ฿60.9

46.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.77 CA$5.29

$2.25 ฿75.8

67.56%

Eggs

$3.63 CA$5.10

$2.25 ฿75.6

61.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.36 CA$14.52

$19.51 ฿656

-46.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.71 CA$16.42

$3.65 ฿123

220.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.21 CA$28.34

$13.05 ฿439

54.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.37 CA$4.73

$3.23 ฿109

4.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 CA$1.70

$1.62 ฿54.4

-25.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 CA$4.20

$2.38 ฿80.2

25.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.36 CA$4.71

$2.03 ฿68.2

65.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.35 CA$3.29

$1.53 ฿51.6

53.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 CA$2.90

$1.50 ฿50.5

38.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 CA$3.51

$0.98 ฿32.93

155.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 CA$2.70

$0.52 ฿17.40

271.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.46 CA$20.28

$4.44 ฿149

225.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.54 CA$14.78

$18.32 ฿616

-42.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.22

$1.86 ฿62.7

61.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 CA$5.21

$2.68 ฿90.2

38.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.50 CA$2.10

$1.41 ฿47.49

6.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.24 CA$43.80

$11.70 ฿394

167.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 CA$3.80

$3.11 ฿105

-12.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.08

$1.04 ฿35.08

42.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.62 CA$40.13

$14.11 ฿475

102.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 CA$1.77

$1.31 ฿44.13

-3.82%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$25.3K CA$35.5K

$27.8K ฿936.0K

-8.89%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$20.2K CA$28.3K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-39.23%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$124 CA$174

$122 ฿4,120

1.34%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$41.80 CA$58.6

$13.59 ฿457

207.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.7 CA$93.5

$18.70 ฿629

256.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.1 CA$74.5

$60.5 ฿2,035

-12.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

Cinema Ticket

$12.47 CA$17.48

$9.07 ฿305

37.49%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,118 CA$1,567

$706 ฿23.8K

58.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.5K CA$17.6K

$15.8K ฿531.8K

-20.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 CA$78.1

$58.6 ฿1,970

-4.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.42 CA$62.3

$35.36 ฿1,190

25.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 CA$146

$115 ฿3,885

-9.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.6 CA$131

$83.7 ฿2,818

11.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,676 CA$2,349

$626 ฿21.1K

167.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,588 CA$2,226

$445 ฿15.0K

256.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,371 CA$4,726

$2,040 ฿68.7K

65.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,961 CA$4,152

$1,492 ฿50.2K

98.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,834 CA$8,179

$3,483 ฿117.2K

67.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,067 CA$4,299

$500 ฿16.8K

513.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

5.33

22.70%

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

Last update for Squamish, BC: July 11, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,676 in Squamish, BC and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Squamish, BC pays 513% 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: $74.0 in Squamish, BC vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $365 vs $289 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

Squamish, BC vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 120% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 513% higher in Squamish, BC, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,676 in Squamish, BC versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,118 in Squamish, BC versus $706 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Squamish, BC. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,250 in Phuket versus $2,745 in Squamish, BC, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Squamish, BC. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Squamish, BC, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Squamish, BC 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.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 120% less than in Squamish, BC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.