😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,758 in St. Moritz versus $1,265 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,619 in St. Moritz versus $2,089 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,479 in St. Moritz versus $2,913 in Phuket.
🌍Living in St. Moritz is roughly 197% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: St. Moritz is 173% above, Phuket is 8% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
St. Moritz
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$37.71CHF 30.78
$4.66฿154
709.23%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$147CHF 120
$32.22฿1,065
355.56%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$14.97CHF 12.22
$8.68฿287
72.47%
Cappuccino
$6.34CHF 5.18
$2.90฿95.8
118.62%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.52CHF 4.51
$0.84฿27.89
557.14%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.57CHF 3.73
$0.49฿16.16
832.65%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$9.78CHF 7.98
$2.48฿82.0
294.35%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.33CHF 5.16
$3.73฿123
69.71%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
St. Moritz
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.86CHF 1.52
$1.89฿62.3
-1.59%
White Bread(500g)
$3.89CHF 3.17
$1.41฿46.54
175.89%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.84CHF 3.13
$1.62฿53.6
137.04%
Eggs
$7.50CHF 6.12
$2.24฿74.1
234.82%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$27.52CHF 22.46
$19.84฿656
38.71%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$27.09CHF 22.11
$3.48฿115
678.45%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$62.2CHF 50.8
$11.37฿376
447.14%
Apples(1kg)
$4.14CHF 3.38
$2.90฿95.8
42.76%
Banana(1kg)
$2.88CHF 2.35
$1.72฿57.0
67.44%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.51CHF 2.87
$2.27฿75.1
54.63%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.85CHF 3.96
$2.13฿70.4
127.70%
Potato(1kg)
$2.58CHF 2.10
$1.47฿48.72
75.51%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18CHF 1.78
$1.42฿46.92
53.52%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.59CHF 2.12
$1.10฿36.25
135.45%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.27CHF 1.04
$0.60฿19.76
111.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$11.03CHF 9.00
$4.31฿142
155.92%
Wine(Bottle)
$13.32CHF 10.87
$18.60฿615
-28.39%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.85CHF 2.32
$1.80฿59.5
58.33%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.25CHF 2.65
$2.97฿98.0
9.43%
🚌 Getting Around
St. Moritz
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$3.85CHF 3.15
$2.25฿74.2
71.11%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$95.6CHF 78.0
$23.49฿776
307.07%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$8.57CHF 6.99
$3.10฿102
176.45%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$4.82CHF 3.93
$1.08฿35.56
346.30%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$91.1CHF 74.4
$3.87฿128
2255.04%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.25CHF 1.84
$1.43฿47.16
57.34%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$41.1KCHF 33.5K
$27.8K฿918.0K
47.90%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.7KCHF 33.2K
$27.0K฿891.5K
50.76%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
St. Moritz
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$97.1CHF 79.3
$105฿3,462
-7.32%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$39.52CHF 32.25
$11.39฿376
246.97%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$58.2CHF 47.46
$17.54฿580
231.58%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
St. Moritz
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$73.8CHF 60.2
$54.3฿1,795
35.81%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$11.44฿378
-
Cinema Ticket
$19.30CHF 15.75
$7.78฿257
148.07%
🧸 Childcare & Education
St. Moritz
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$3,671CHF 2,996
$576฿19.0K
536.75%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$43.2KCHF 35.2K
$11.6K฿382.7K
272.82%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
St. Moritz
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$148CHF 121
$63.6฿2,103
132.75%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$60.9CHF 49.73
$29.10฿961
109.42%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$171CHF 140
$96.2฿3,179
77.78%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$265CHF 216
$90.0฿2,974
193.89%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
St. Moritz
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,874CHF 1,529
$733฿24.2K
155.55%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,758CHF 1,435
$501฿16.5K
251.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$5,636CHF 4,599
$2,126฿70.2K
165.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$4,841CHF 3,950
$1,252฿41.4K
286.52%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,534฿116.8K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$12.6KCHF 10.3K
$2,622฿86.6K
379.31%
💵 Salaries & Financials
St. Moritz
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$4,853CHF 3,961
$508฿16.8K
856.21%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
1.8
5.57
-67.68%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for St. Moritz: September 8, 2026
Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,874 in St. Moritz and $733 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰St. Moritz pays 856% 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 $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $669 vs $275 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 197% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: St. Moritz or Phuket?
Average pay runs 856% 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: $1,874 in St. Moritz versus $733 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $3,671 in St. Moritz versus $576 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 143% 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 $1,265 in Phuket versus $3,758 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 197% 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