😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,865 in St. Moritz versus $1,232 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,642 in St. Moritz versus $2,255 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,420 in St. Moritz versus $3,279 in Phuket.
😐Living in St. Moritz is roughly 214% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: St. Moritz is 189% above, Phuket is 8% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
St. Moritz
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$31.31CHF 24.74
$4.63฿151
576.24%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$150CHF 118
$46.84฿1,523
219.66%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$15.03CHF 11.88
$8.84฿287
70.02%
Cappuccino
$6.14CHF 4.85
$3.00฿97.4
104.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.46CHF 4.31
$0.74฿24.11
637.84%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.76CHF 3.76
$0.37฿11.88
1186.49%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$10.02CHF 7.91
$2.44฿79.3
310.66%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.03CHF 4.76
$3.61฿117
67.04%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
St. Moritz
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.33CHF 1.05
$2.26฿73.5
-41.15%
White Bread(500g)
$3.44CHF 2.72
$1.84฿59.8
86.96%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$4.11CHF 3.25
$2.24฿73.0
83.48%
Eggs
$7.45CHF 5.89
$2.32฿75.3
221.12%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$29.79CHF 23.53
$19.67฿639
51.45%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$33.95CHF 26.82
$3.65฿119
830.14%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$50.4CHF 39.79
$13.10฿426
284.50%
Apples(1kg)
$4.09CHF 3.23
$3.39฿110
20.65%
Banana(1kg)
$2.92CHF 2.31
$1.64฿53.4
78.05%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.15CHF 2.49
$2.41฿78.5
30.71%
Tomato(1kg)
$5.05CHF 3.99
$2.03฿66.0
148.77%
Potato(1kg)
$2.82CHF 2.23
$1.56฿50.6
80.77%
Onion(1kg)
$2.31CHF 1.82
$1.50฿48.66
54.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.51CHF 1.98
$1.02฿33.30
146.08%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.73CHF 1.36
$0.49฿15.91
253.06%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$10.87CHF 8.59
$4.45฿145
144.27%
Wine(Bottle)
$15.15CHF 11.97
$18.88฿614
-19.76%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.75CHF 2.18
$1.78฿57.7
54.49%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.21CHF 2.53
$2.75฿89.5
16.73%
🚌 Getting Around
St. Moritz
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$3.83CHF 3.02
$1.40฿45.54
173.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$94.2CHF 74.4
$11.48฿373
720.38%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$7.60CHF 6.00
$3.12฿101
143.59%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$4.58CHF 3.62
$1.00฿32.48
358.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$86.6CHF 68.4
$14.09฿458
514.69%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.24CHF 1.77
$1.35฿43.93
65.93%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$40.3KCHF 31.8K
$27.2K฿883.7K
48.21%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.4KCHF 31.2K
$32.9K฿1.1M
19.83%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
St. Moritz
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$99.5CHF 78.6
$125฿4,063
-20.43%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$36.21CHF 28.61
$13.57฿441
166.84%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$59.8CHF 47.24
$18.52฿602
222.89%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
St. Moritz
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$73.0CHF 57.7
$61.5฿1,999
18.72%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.84฿547
-
Cinema Ticket
$19.20CHF 15.17
$9.19฿299
108.92%
🧸 Childcare & Education
St. Moritz
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$3,465CHF 2,738
$698฿22.7K
396.30%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$39.6KCHF 31.3K
$15.6K฿506.9K
154.03%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
St. Moritz
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$137CHF 108
$57.8฿1,878
137.69%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$61.5CHF 48.62
$35.24฿1,146
74.63%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$150CHF 118
$113฿3,677
32.22%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$205CHF 162
$86.4฿2,808
136.87%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
St. Moritz
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,709CHF 1,350
$616฿20.0K
177.40%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,982CHF 1,566
$446฿14.5K
344.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,826CHF 2,233
$2,048฿66.6K
38.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$4,665CHF 3,685
$1,492฿48.5K
212.65%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,779฿122.8K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$12.8KCHF 10.1K
$2,649฿86.1K
383.89%
💵 Salaries & Financials
St. Moritz
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$4,994CHF 3,945
$524฿17.0K
853.41%
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: April 26, 2026
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,709 in St. Moritz and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰St. Moritz pays 853% 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: $150 in St. Moritz vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $674 vs $292 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 214% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: St. Moritz or Phuket?
St. Moritz pays 853% 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: $1,709 in St. Moritz versus $616 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $3,465 in St. Moritz versus $698 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 131% 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 $1,232 in Phuket versus $3,865 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 214% 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