😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,776 in St. Moritz versus $1,264 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,503 in St. Moritz versus $2,256 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,229 in St. Moritz versus $3,248 in Phuket.
🌍Living in St. Moritz is roughly 199% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: St. Moritz is 184% above, Phuket is 5% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
St. Moritz
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$31.00CHF 25.22
$4.48฿150
591.96%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$147CHF 119
$45.59฿1,525
221.87%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$14.73CHF 11.98
$8.76฿293
68.15%
Cappuccino
$6.32CHF 5.14
$2.97฿99.3
112.79%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.65CHF 4.60
$0.69฿22.96
718.84%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.50CHF 3.66
$0.39฿13.07
1053.85%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$9.75CHF 7.93
$2.53฿84.7
285.38%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.99CHF 4.87
$3.75฿125
59.73%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
St. Moritz
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.32CHF 1.08
$2.15฿71.8
-38.60%
White Bread(500g)
$3.38CHF 2.75
$1.82฿60.7
85.71%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$4.11CHF 3.34
$2.18฿73.1
88.53%
Eggs
$7.60CHF 6.18
$2.25฿75.2
237.78%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$29.20CHF 23.75
$20.00฿669
46.00%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$32.92CHF 26.78
$3.63฿121
806.89%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$50.6CHF 41.18
$13.56฿453
273.30%
Apples(1kg)
$4.09CHF 3.33
$3.24฿109
26.23%
Banana(1kg)
$2.89CHF 2.35
$1.64฿54.7
76.22%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.04CHF 2.47
$2.33฿78.0
30.47%
Tomato(1kg)
$5.20CHF 4.23
$2.07฿69.3
151.21%
Potato(1kg)
$2.74CHF 2.23
$1.55฿51.8
76.77%
Onion(1kg)
$2.31CHF 1.88
$1.46฿48.67
58.22%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.47CHF 2.01
$0.98฿32.94
152.04%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.73CHF 1.40
$0.48฿16.13
260.42%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$11.16CHF 9.08
$4.35฿146
156.55%
Wine(Bottle)
$13.58CHF 11.05
$18.57฿621
-26.87%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.70CHF 2.20
$1.86฿62.1
45.16%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31CHF 2.70
$2.65฿88.8
24.91%
🚌 Getting Around
St. Moritz
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$3.84CHF 3.13
$1.42฿47.40
170.42%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$96.9CHF 78.9
$11.57฿387
737.77%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$7.52CHF 6.12
$3.17฿106
137.22%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$4.46CHF 3.63
$1.03฿34.51
333.01%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$89.2CHF 72.6
$13.89฿465
542.48%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.24CHF 1.82
$1.34฿44.96
67.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$40.5KCHF 32.9K
$27.8K฿929.6K
45.64%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.8KCHF 32.4K
$33.4K฿1.1M
19.26%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
St. Moritz
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$97.2CHF 79.1
$123฿4,116
-20.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$36.41CHF 29.61
$13.77฿461
164.42%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$59.7CHF 48.54
$18.33฿613
225.53%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
St. Moritz
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$74.7CHF 60.8
$60.7฿2,030
23.07%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$42.41CHF 34.50
$17.16฿574
147.14%
Cinema Ticket
$18.87CHF 15.35
$8.87฿297
112.74%
🧸 Childcare & Education
St. Moritz
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$3,368CHF 2,739
$688฿23.0K
389.59%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$39.7KCHF 32.3K
$15.8K฿527.8K
151.86%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
St. Moritz
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$137CHF 112
$59.3฿1,984
131.67%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$62.3CHF 50.6
$34.69฿1,160
79.45%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$151CHF 123
$115฿3,853
30.91%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$203CHF 165
$83.8฿2,802
142.53%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
St. Moritz
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,702CHF 1,385
$621฿20.8K
174.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,993CHF 1,621
$446฿14.9K
346.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,808CHF 2,284
$2,034฿68.0K
38.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$4,655CHF 3,787
$1,496฿50.0K
211.15%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$15.6KCHF 12.7K
$3,455฿115.6K
351.25%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$12.2KCHF 9,957
$2,531฿84.7K
383.61%
💵 Salaries & Financials
St. Moritz
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$4,804CHF 3,908
$494฿16.5K
873.24%
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: July 25, 2026
Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,702 in St. Moritz and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰St. Moritz pays 873% 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: $147 in St. Moritz vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $665 vs $291 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 199% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: St. Moritz or Phuket?
Average pay runs 873% higher in St. Moritz, 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: $1,702 in St. Moritz versus $621 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $3,368 in St. Moritz versus $688 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 in Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 128% 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 living in St. Moritz or in Phuket?
At $1,264 in Phuket versus $3,776 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 199% 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