Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney, NS and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney, NS and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,860 in Sydney, NS versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,779 in Sydney, NS versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,698 in Sydney, NS versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Sydney, NS is roughly 49% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sydney, NS is 39% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.82 CA$16.64

$4.55 ฿153

159.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.0 CA$88.6

$46.18 ฿1,553

36.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 CA$10.32

$8.84 ฿297

-16.97%

Cappuccino

$2.88 CA$4.06

$3.06 ฿103

-5.88%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 CA$3.17

$0.73 ฿24.40

208.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 CA$2.79

$0.40 ฿13.39

395.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.44 CA$7.66

$2.43 ฿81.8

123.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.92 CA$8.33

$3.78 ฿127

56.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 CA$3.20

$2.26 ฿76.0

0.44%

White Bread (500g)

$2.69 CA$3.78

$1.81 ฿60.9

48.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.50 CA$3.52

$2.25 ฿75.8

11.11%

Eggs

$3.39 CA$4.77

$2.25 ฿75.5

50.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.68 CA$9.40

$19.51 ฿656

-65.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.23 CA$11.58

$3.65 ฿123

125.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.45 CA$18.93

$13.05 ฿439

3.07%

Apples (1kg)

$7.46 CA$10.50

$3.23 ฿109

130.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 CA$1.69

$1.62 ฿54.4

-25.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.62 CA$5.09

$2.38 ฿80.1

52.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 CA$2.02

$2.03 ฿68.1

-29.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 CA$1.23

$1.53 ฿51.6

-42.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 CA$3.55

$1.50 ฿50.5

68.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 CA$3.53

$0.98 ฿32.91

156.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.39

$0.52 ฿17.39

226.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.15 CA$25.54

$4.44 ฿149

308.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 CA$4.02

$1.86 ฿62.7

53.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 CA$6.24

$2.68 ฿90.1

65.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 CA$1.57

$1.41 ฿47.46

-21.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.2 CA$70.6

$11.70 ฿393

328.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.49 CA$6.32

$3.11 ฿105

44.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CA$2.09

$1.04 ฿35.06

43.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.46 CA$35.82

$14.11 ฿474

80.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 CA$1.64

$1.31 ฿44.10

-11.45%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$25.5K CA$35.8K

$27.8K ฿935.4K

-8.41%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$20.4K CA$28.7K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-38.62%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$91.6 CA$129

$122 ฿4,118

-25.19%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$48.19 CA$67.8

$13.59 ฿457

254.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.7 CA$106

$18.70 ฿629

304.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.2 CA$72.1

$60.5 ฿2,034

-15.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.74 CA$5.26

$16.98 ฿571

-77.97%

Cinema Ticket

$7.98 CA$11.23

$9.07 ฿305

-12.02%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$746 CA$1,050

$706 ฿23.8K

5.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K CA$16.5K

$15.8K ฿531.5K

-25.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.9 CA$99.7

$58.6 ฿1,969

21.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.6 CA$96.5

$35.36 ฿1,189

93.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 CA$143

$115 ฿3,883

-12.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$155

$83.7 ฿2,816

31.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,106 CA$1,557

$626 ฿21.0K

76.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 CA$1,117

$445 ฿15.0K

78.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,957 CA$2,754

$2,040 ฿68.6K

-4.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,448 CA$2,038

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-2.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,534 CA$3,566

$500 ฿16.8K

406.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.85

5.33

28.52%

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

Last update for Sydney, NS: July 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,106 in Sydney, NS and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sydney, NS pays 407% 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: $63.0 in Sydney, NS vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $289 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

Sydney, NS vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 49% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 407% higher in Sydney, NS, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,106 in Sydney, NS versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $746 in Sydney, NS versus $706 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Sydney, NS. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,860 in Sydney, NS, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Sydney, NS. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Sydney, NS, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Sydney, NS 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.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Sydney, NS. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.