Cost of Living Comparison Between Avarua and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Avarua and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,721 per month in Avarua vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,709 per month in Avarua vs $2,089 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,697 per month in Avarua vs $2,913 in Phuket, rent included.

Avarua costs about 36% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Avarua sits 25% above the global median, while Phuket is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.82 NZ$20.33

$4.66 ฿154

153.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.9 NZ$103

$32.22 ฿1,065

85.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 NZ$15.41

$8.68 ฿287

3.23%

Cappuccino

$3.24 NZ$5.57

$2.90 ฿95.8

11.72%

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

$2.26 NZ$3.89

$0.84 ฿27.89

169.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 NZ$4.13

$0.49 ฿16.16

389.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.81 NZ$9.99

$2.48 ฿82.0

134.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 NZ$7.40

$3.73 ฿123

15.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 NZ$3.10

$1.89 ฿62.3

-4.23%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 NZ$6.10

$1.41 ฿46.54

151.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 NZ$3.10

$1.62 ฿53.6

11.73%

Eggs

$5.01 NZ$8.62

$2.24 ฿74.1

123.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.73 NZ$20.18

$19.84 ฿656

-40.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.15 NZ$14.00

$3.48 ฿115

134.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.62 NZ$18.26

$11.37 ฿376

-6.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 NZ$5.02

$2.90 ฿95.8

0.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 NZ$3.09

$1.72 ฿57.0

4.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.63 NZ$6.24

$2.27 ฿75.1

59.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$9.64 NZ$16.58

$2.13 ฿70.4

352.58%

Potato (1kg)

$3.02 NZ$5.19

$1.47 ฿48.72

105.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 NZ$4.07

$1.42 ฿46.92

66.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.33 NZ$4.01

$1.10 ฿36.25

111.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.87 NZ$4.94

$0.60 ฿19.76

378.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

Wine (Bottle)

$14.92 NZ$25.64

$18.60 ฿615

-19.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.34 NZ$7.47

$2.97 ฿98.0

46.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.86 NZ$4.92

$2.25 ฿74.2

27.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 NZ$3.78

$1.43 ฿47.16

53.85%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

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

$119 NZ$205

$105 ฿3,462

13.61%

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

$11.39 ฿376

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

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

$576 ฿19.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 NZ$1,740

$733 ฿24.2K

38.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,007 NZ$1,731

$501 ฿16.5K

101.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$120 NZ$206

$2,126 ฿70.2K

-94.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$971 NZ$1,669

$2,622 ฿86.6K

-62.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Avarua: September 7, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,012 in Avarua versus $733 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Avarua versus $32.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $373 vs $275 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Avarua vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Avarua costs about 36% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,581 per month in Avarua and $1,898 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,721 in Avarua and $1,265 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 36% more in Avarua, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Avarua at $1,721. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Avarua it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,265 versus $1,721 in Avarua. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Avarua makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.