Cost of Living Comparison Between St. Albert, AB and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between St. Albert, AB and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,457 in St. Albert, AB versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,167 in St. Albert, AB versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,878 in St. Albert, AB versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in St. Albert, AB is roughly 95% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: St. Albert, AB is 83% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
St. Albert, AB
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.29 CA$25.54
$4.56 ฿149
301.10%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$65.1 CA$90.9
$46.63 ฿1,519
39.61%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.07 CA$15.46
$8.47 ฿276
30.70%
Cappuccino
$3.75 CA$5.24
$3.03 ฿98.6
23.76%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.15 CA$3.01
$0.69 ฿22.45
211.59%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83 CA$2.56
$0.37 ฿11.92
394.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.10 CA$7.12
$2.49 ฿81.0
104.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.96 CA$8.32
$3.66 ฿119
62.84%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
St. Albert, AB
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.08 CA$2.90
$2.18 ฿71.0
-4.59%
White Bread (500g)
$2.75 CA$3.85
$1.90 ฿62.0
44.74%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.17 CA$4.43
$2.20 ฿71.6
44.09%
Eggs
$3.35 CA$4.68
$2.22 ฿72.4
50.90%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.77 CA$19.23
$19.99 ฿651
-31.12%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.96 CA$18.10
$3.66 ฿119
254.10%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.07 CA$22.45
$13.25 ฿432
21.28%
Apples (1kg)
$4.41 CA$6.16
$3.23 ฿105
36.53%
Banana (1kg)
$1.32 CA$1.84
$1.70 ฿55.3
-22.35%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.88 CA$5.42
$2.39 ฿78.0
62.34%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.09 CA$5.72
$2.08 ฿67.7
96.63%
Potato (1kg)
$2.60 CA$3.63
$1.59 ฿51.8
63.52%
Onion (1kg)
$2.72 CA$3.80
$1.48 ฿48.31
83.78%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.67 CA$3.73
$1.03 ฿33.54
159.22%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.92 CA$2.68
$0.52 ฿16.83
269.23%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.65 CA$20.46
$4.25 ฿138
244.71%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.42 CA$17.34
$18.79 ฿612
-33.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.89 CA$4.03
$1.76 ฿57.2
64.20%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.16 CA$4.42
$2.76 ฿89.8
14.49%
🚌 Getting Around
St. Albert, AB
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.16 CA$3.02
$1.36 ฿44.32
58.82%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$64.4 CA$89.9
$11.36 ฿370
466.99%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.48 CA$4.86
$3.14 ฿102
10.83%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.34 CA$1.87
$1.04 ฿33.74
28.85%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$23.46 CA$32.76
$13.77 ฿448
70.37%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.10 CA$1.53
$1.34 ฿43.79
-17.91%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.7K CA$34.5K
$27.7K ฿901.4K
-10.75%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.9K CA$30.6K
$33.9K ฿1.1M
-35.37%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
St. Albert, AB
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$198 CA$276
$124 ฿4,025
59.90%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$40.79 CA$57.0
$13.52 ฿440
201.70%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$58.5 CA$81.7
$18.69 ฿609
212.95%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
St. Albert, AB
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.41 CA$56.4
$61.8 ฿2,013
-34.63%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.25 ฿562
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.68 CA$17.70
$9.14 ฿298
38.73%
🧸 Childcare & Education
St. Albert, AB
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$683 CA$953
$703 ฿22.9K
-2.83%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.0K CA$16.7K
$15.9K ฿517.0K
-24.51%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
St. Albert, AB
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.6 CA$80.5
$59.5 ฿1,937
-3.09%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.17 CA$58.9
$35.07 ฿1,142
20.25%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$81.3 CA$114
$115 ฿3,754
-29.44%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107 CA$150
$84.1 ฿2,737
27.64%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
St. Albert, AB
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,297 CA$1,811
$619 ฿20.1K
109.58%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,186 CA$1,656
$433 ฿14.1K
174.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,363 CA$1,903
$2,062 ฿67.2K
-33.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,173 CA$1,639
$1,511 ฿49.2K
-22.35%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,542 CA$3,551
$3,646 ฿118.7K
-30.26%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,607 CA$3,640
$2,626 ฿85.5K
-0.72%
💵 Salaries & Financials
St. Albert, AB
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,131 CA$4,372
$507 ฿16.5K
517.48%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.08
5.33
14.07%

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

Last update for St. Albert, AB: June 8, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,297 in St. Albert, AB and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

St. Albert, AB pays 517% 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: $65.0 in St. Albert, AB vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $387 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
St. Albert, AB vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than St. Albert, AB?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 95% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: St. Albert, AB or Phuket?
St. Albert, AB pays 517% 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 St. Albert, AB and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,297 in St. Albert, AB 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 $683 in St. Albert, AB 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 St. Albert, AB and Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 32% higher in St. Albert, AB. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for St. Albert, AB or Phuket?
At $1,261 in Phuket versus $2,457 in St. Albert, AB, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in St. Albert, AB. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is St. Albert, AB or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in St. Albert, AB, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, St. Albert, AB or Phuket?
Safety-wise, St. Albert, AB 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 95% less than in St. Albert, AB. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

St. Albert, AB vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities