😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,847 in St. Moritz versus $1,261 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,534 in St. Moritz versus $2,286 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,221 in St. Moritz versus $3,310 in Phuket.
😐Living in St. Moritz is roughly 205% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: St. Moritz is 186% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
St. Moritz
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$31.18CHF 24.75
$4.56฿149
583.77%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$146CHF 116
$46.63฿1,519
213.88%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$14.71CHF 11.68
$8.47฿276
73.67%
Cappuccino
$6.27CHF 4.98
$3.03฿98.6
106.93%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.48CHF 4.35
$0.69฿22.45
694.20%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.70CHF 3.73
$0.37฿11.92
1170.27%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$9.73CHF 7.73
$2.49฿81.0
290.76%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.05CHF 4.81
$3.66฿119
65.30%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
St. Moritz
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.33CHF 1.06
$2.18฿71.0
-38.99%
White Bread(500g)
$3.40CHF 2.70
$1.90฿62.0
78.95%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.94CHF 3.13
$2.20฿71.6
79.09%
Eggs
$7.46CHF 5.92
$2.22฿72.4
236.04%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$29.03CHF 23.05
$19.99฿651
45.22%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$33.94CHF 26.95
$3.66฿119
827.32%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$50.8CHF 40.32
$13.25฿432
283.25%
Apples(1kg)
$4.14CHF 3.29
$3.23฿105
28.17%
Banana(1kg)
$2.91CHF 2.31
$1.70฿55.3
71.18%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.15CHF 2.50
$2.39฿78.0
31.80%
Tomato(1kg)
$5.05CHF 4.01
$2.08฿67.7
142.79%
Potato(1kg)
$2.73CHF 2.17
$1.59฿51.8
71.70%
Onion(1kg)
$2.29CHF 1.82
$1.48฿48.31
54.73%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.58CHF 2.05
$1.03฿33.54
150.49%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.67CHF 1.33
$0.52฿16.83
221.15%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$11.28CHF 8.95
$4.25฿138
165.41%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.82CHF 11.76
$18.79฿612
-21.13%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.64CHF 2.09
$1.76฿57.2
50.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.22CHF 2.56
$2.76฿89.8
16.67%
🚌 Getting Around
St. Moritz
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$4.04CHF 3.21
$1.36฿44.32
197.06%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$95.2CHF 75.6
$11.36฿370
737.94%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$7.52CHF 5.97
$3.14฿102
139.49%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$4.54CHF 3.61
$1.04฿33.74
336.54%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$86.3CHF 68.5
$13.77฿448
526.80%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.27CHF 1.80
$1.34฿43.79
69.40%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$40.0KCHF 31.8K
$27.7K฿901.4K
44.61%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.8KCHF 31.6K
$33.9K฿1.1M
17.51%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
St. Moritz
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$98.5CHF 78.2
$124฿4,025
-20.27%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.59CHF 28.25
$13.52฿440
163.24%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$59.2CHF 46.98
$18.69฿609
216.64%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
St. Moritz
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$73.5CHF 58.3
$61.8฿2,013
18.86%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.25฿562
-
Cinema Ticket
$19.41CHF 15.41
$9.14฿298
112.36%
🧸 Childcare & Education
St. Moritz
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$3,408CHF 2,705
$703฿22.9K
384.96%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$38.5KCHF 30.6K
$15.9K฿517.0K
142.64%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
St. Moritz
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$141CHF 112
$59.5฿1,937
137.61%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$61.3CHF 48.69
$35.07฿1,142
74.88%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$147CHF 117
$115฿3,754
27.61%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$205CHF 163
$84.1฿2,737
143.94%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
St. Moritz
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,699CHF 1,348
$619฿20.1K
174.56%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,955CHF 1,552
$433฿14.1K
352.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,868CHF 2,277
$2,062฿67.2K
39.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$4,615CHF 3,664
$1,511฿49.2K
205.43%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$15.0KCHF 11.9K
$3,646฿118.7K
310.11%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$11.6KCHF 9,221
$2,626฿85.5K
342.40%
💵 Salaries & Financials
St. Moritz
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$4,973CHF 3,948
$507฿16.5K
880.83%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
1.8
5.33
-66.23%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for St. Moritz: June 7, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,699 in St. Moritz and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰St. Moritz pays 881% 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: $146 in St. Moritz vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $670 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. Moritz vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than St. Moritz?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 205% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: St. Moritz or Phuket?
St. Moritz pays 881% 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. Moritz and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,699 in St. Moritz 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 $3,408 in St. Moritz 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. Moritz and Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 129% higher in St. Moritz. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for St. Moritz or Phuket?
At $1,261 in Phuket versus $3,847 in St. Moritz, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in St. Moritz. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is St. Moritz or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in St. Moritz, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, St. Moritz or Phuket?
Safety-wise, St. Moritz 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 205% less than in St. Moritz. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
St. Moritz vs other spots: cost of living compared