Cost of Living Comparison Between Vernon, BC and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Vernon, BC and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,391 in Vernon, BC versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,208 in Vernon, BC versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,025 in Vernon, BC versus $3,248 in Phuket.

Living in Vernon, BC is roughly 89% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Vernon, BC is 80% above, Phuket is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.57 CA$20.42

$4.48 ฿150

225.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 CA$97.0

$45.59 ฿1,521

51.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.88 CA$15.25

$8.76 ฿292

24.20%

Cappuccino

$3.70 CA$5.18

$2.97 ฿99.0

24.58%

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

$1.90 CA$2.67

$0.69 ฿22.90

175.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 CA$2.10

$0.39 ฿13.04

284.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.03 CA$8.45

$2.53 ฿84.4

138.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.52 CA$9.13

$3.75 ฿125

73.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.13 CA$2.99

$2.15 ฿71.6

-0.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.70 CA$3.78

$1.82 ฿60.6

48.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.25 CA$4.56

$2.18 ฿72.9

49.08%

Eggs

$3.89 CA$5.45

$2.25 ฿75.0

72.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.72 CA$13.63

$20.00 ฿667

-51.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.25 CA$14.36

$3.63 ฿121

182.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.32 CA$18.67

$13.56 ฿452

-1.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 CA$5.58

$3.24 ฿108

22.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 CA$2.50

$1.64 ฿54.6

8.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.25 CA$5.96

$2.33 ฿77.8

82.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.38 CA$7.54

$2.07 ฿69.1

159.90%

Potato (1kg)

$3.14 CA$4.40

$1.55 ฿51.6

102.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 CA$4.02

$1.46 ฿48.54

96.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.00 CA$4.20

$0.98 ฿32.86

206.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 CA$2.53

$0.48 ฿16.09

277.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.41 CA$18.79

$4.35 ฿145

208.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.82 CA$23.56

$18.57 ฿620

-9.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.47 CA$4.86

$1.86 ฿61.9

86.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 CA$5.51

$2.65 ฿88.6

48.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.93 CA$2.71

$1.42 ฿47.28

35.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.91 CA$55.9

$11.57 ฿386

244.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 CA$3.39

$3.17 ฿106

-23.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 CA$2.17

$1.03 ฿34.41

50.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.68 CA$40.19

$13.89 ฿463

106.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.70

$1.34 ฿44.84

-9.70%

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

$24.5K CA$34.4K

$27.8K ฿927.1K

-11.77%

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

$20.5K CA$28.7K

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-38.56%

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

$162 CA$227

$123 ฿4,105

31.89%

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

$45.68 CA$64.0

$13.77 ฿459

231.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 CA$86.3

$18.33 ฿611

235.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.96 CA$44.78

$60.7 ฿2,025

-47.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.51 CA$21.73

$17.16 ฿573

-9.62%

Cinema Ticket

$10.64 CA$14.91

$8.87 ฿296

19.95%

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

$447 CA$626

$688 ฿22.9K

-35.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,774 CA$8,091

$15.8K ฿526.4K

-63.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.1 CA$87.0

$59.3 ฿1,978

4.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.69 CA$55.6

$34.69 ฿1,157

14.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.0 CA$123

$115 ฿3,843

-23.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.5 CA$110

$83.8 ฿2,794

-6.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,090 CA$1,527

$621 ฿20.7K

75.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,205 CA$1,689

$446 ฿14.9K

170.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,570 CA$2,200

$2,034 ฿67.8K

-22.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,476 CA$2,068

$1,496 ฿49.9K

-1.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,016 CA$8,430

$3,455 ฿115.3K

74.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,807 CA$6,736

$2,531 ฿84.4K

89.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,021 CA$4,233

$494 ฿16.5K

511.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.36

5.33

19.32%

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

Last update for Vernon, BC: July 25, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,090 in Vernon, BC and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vernon, BC pays 512% 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: $69.0 in Vernon, BC vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $379 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

Vernon, BC vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 89% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 512% higher in Vernon, BC, 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: $1,090 in Vernon, BC versus $621 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $447 in Vernon, BC versus $688 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 30% higher in Vernon, BC. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,264 in Phuket versus $2,391 in Vernon, BC, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Vernon, BC. 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 Vernon, BC, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Vernon, BC 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 89% less than in Vernon, BC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.