Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Yens and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,294 a month against $3,568 in Yens, rent and utilities included – about $27,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Yens, Switzerland
Phuket, Thailand
Yens
🇨🇭 Switzerland
$3,568
/mo nomad
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,294
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Yens and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Yens and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,568 in Yens versus $1,294 in Phuket.

  • Yens $3,568
  • Phuket $1,294

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,328 in Yens versus $2,204 in Phuket.

  • Yens $5,328
  • Phuket $2,204

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,088 in Yens versus $3,115 in Phuket.

  • Yens $7,088
  • Phuket $3,115

Living in Yens is roughly 176% more expensive than in Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Yens is 164% above, Phuket is 4% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Yens
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$29.48 CHF 24.07
$4.39 ฿147
571.53%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$116 CHF 94.4
$32.31 ฿1,085
257.85%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$16.12 CHF 13.16
$8.70 ฿292
85.29%
Cappuccino
$6.35 CHF 5.19
$2.72 ฿91.5
133.46%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.07 CHF 4.14
$0.93 ฿31.25
445.16%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.04 CHF 3.30
$0.50 ฿16.78
708.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$9.34 CHF 7.63
$2.53 ฿85.0
269.17%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.91 CHF 6.46
$3.63 ฿122
117.91%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Yens
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.26 CHF 1.85
$1.74 ฿58.4
29.89%
White Bread (500g)
$3.06 CHF 2.50
$1.45 ฿48.73
111.03%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.32 CHF 2.71
$1.50 ฿50.5
121.33%
Eggs
$7.55 CHF 6.17
$2.17 ฿73.0
247.93%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$24.49 CHF 19.99
$19.09 ฿641
28.29%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$27.77 CHF 22.67
$3.40 ฿114
716.76%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$40.09 CHF 32.73
$10.90 ฿366
267.80%
Apples (1kg)
$3.63 CHF 2.97
$2.94 ฿98.8
23.47%
Banana (1kg)
$2.00 CHF 1.63
$1.69 ฿56.8
18.34%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.52 CHF 2.06
$2.19 ฿73.7
15.07%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.74 CHF 3.87
$2.12 ฿71.4
123.58%
Potato (1kg)
$1.66 CHF 1.35
$1.46 ฿48.99
13.70%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 CHF 1.61
$1.37 ฿45.95
43.80%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.08 CHF 1.70
$1.08 ฿36.14
92.59%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.37 CHF 1.12
$0.55 ฿18.32
149.09%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.04 CHF 9.01
$4.43 ฿149
149.21%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.38 CHF 10.10
$18.25 ฿613
-32.16%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.23 CHF 1.82
$1.77 ฿59.5
25.99%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.05 CHF 2.49
$2.88 ฿96.8
5.90%
🚌 Getting Around
Yens
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.99 CHF 3.26
$1.45 ฿48.62
175.17%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$107 CHF 87.7
$54.9 ฿1,844
95.74%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$7.99 CHF 6.52
$1.51 ฿50.8
429.14%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$4.69 CHF 3.83
$0.78 ฿26.06
501.28%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$85.7 CHF 70.0
$3.84 ฿129
2132.81%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.34 CHF 1.91
$1.49 ฿49.96
57.05%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.0K CHF 31.9K
$26.9K ฿902.9K
45.26%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.9K CHF 32.6K
$26.3K ฿884.9K
51.59%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Yens
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$280 CHF 229
$97.8 ฿3,285
186.37%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.64 CHF 23.38
$11.29 ฿379
153.68%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.4 CHF 43.61
$17.19 ฿577
210.76%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Yens
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$76.2 CHF 62.2
$68.3 ฿2,295
11.47%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$47.19 CHF 38.52
$10.92 ฿367
332.14%
Cinema Ticket
$24.30 CHF 19.84
$7.43 ฿250
227.05%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Yens
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,957 CHF 2,414
$530 ฿17.8K
457.50%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$35.6K CHF 29.1K
$18.8K ฿630.9K
89.59%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Yens
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$143 CHF 117
$61.7 ฿2,072
131.65%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$61.4 CHF 50.1
$28.25 ฿949
117.38%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$141 CHF 115
$96.0 ฿3,225
47.16%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$195 CHF 159
$86.8 ฿2,916
124.81%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Yens
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,735 CHF 1,416
$721 ฿24.2K
140.59%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,655 CHF 1,351
$509 ฿17.1K
225.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,868 CHF 2,342
$1,950 ฿65.5K
47.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,682 CHF 2,189
$1,397 ฿46.9K
91.98%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$16.6K CHF 13.6K
$4,192 ฿140.8K
296.36%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$11.5K CHF 9,368
$3,298 ฿110.8K
247.87%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Yens
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$492 ฿16.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
1.95
5.57
-64.99%

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

Last update for Yens: October 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Yens
$1.7K
Phuket
$509 69.2% $1.1K
Groceries & Markets
Yens
$569
Phuket
$267 53.1% $302
Eating Out
Yens
$459
Phuket
$120 74% $340
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Yens
$362
Phuket
$126 65.1% $236
Clothing & Footwear
Yens
$243
Phuket
$123 49.6% $121
Getting Around
Yens
$155
Phuket
$66 57.3% $89
Sport & Entertainment
Yens
$125
Phuket
$83 33.3% $42

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,735 in Yens and $721 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $116 in Yens vs $32 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $569 vs $267 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇭 Yens
🇹🇭 Phuket
🕒 Local time
10:26 10:26 AM
16:26 4:26 PM
6 h ahead of Yens
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,200
79,308
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to CHF – Swiss Franc Converter

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 0.816 CHF (1 CHF = 1.22 USD). 1 EUR = 0.917 CHF (1 CHF = 1.09 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 33.59 THB (100 THB = 2.98 USD). 1 EUR = 37.75 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Yens Phuket 9,520 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Yens
  • Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Yens vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Yens?
Phuket is about 64% cheaper overall, especially in eating out, groceries, and clothing. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $5,352 in Yens and $1,940 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Yens and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,735 in Yens versus $721 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $2,957 in Yens versus $530 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 Yens and in Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 113% higher in Yens. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Yens or in Phuket?
At $1,294 in Phuket versus $3,568 in Yens, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Yens. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Yens or in Phuket?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Which city is safer, Yens or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Yens and Phuket are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 64% less than in Yens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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