Cost of Living Comparison Between Bega NSW and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Bega NSW and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,252 per month in Bega NSW vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,273 per month in Bega NSW vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,294 per month in Bega NSW vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

Bega NSW costs about 80% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Bega NSW sits 69% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.52 A$23.67

$4.55 ฿153

263.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.7 A$110

$46.18 ฿1,554

66.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.99 A$14.31

$8.84 ฿298

13.01%

Cappuccino

$3.41 A$4.89

$3.06 ฿103

11.44%

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

$2.53 A$3.62

$0.73 ฿24.42

246.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 A$2.99

$0.40 ฿13.40

422.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.36 A$9.11

$2.43 ฿81.8

161.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.33 A$10.50

$3.78 ฿127

93.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 A$2.07

$2.26 ฿76.0

-36.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.41 A$3.46

$1.81 ฿60.9

33.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.00 A$2.87

$2.25 ฿75.8

-11.11%

Eggs

$4.26 A$6.10

$2.25 ฿75.6

89.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.39 A$12.03

$19.51 ฿656

-57.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.66 A$12.41

$3.65 ฿123

137.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 A$19.42

$13.05 ฿439

3.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 A$4.63

$3.23 ฿109

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 A$4.06

$1.62 ฿54.4

74.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 A$4.28

$2.38 ฿80.2

25.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.17 A$5.98

$2.03 ฿68.2

105.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 A$3.60

$1.53 ฿51.6

64.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 A$3.03

$1.50 ฿50.5

40.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.15 A$3.08

$0.98 ฿32.93

119.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 A$2.17

$0.52 ฿17.40

190.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$30.40 A$43.55

$4.44 ฿149

584.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.54 A$22.27

$18.32 ฿616

-15.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.45 A$6.37

$1.86 ฿62.7

139.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.27 A$7.55

$2.68 ฿90.2

96.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.62 A$3.75

$1.41 ฿47.49

85.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.6 A$92.6

$11.70 ฿394

452.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.64 A$5.21

$3.11 ฿105

17.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 A$2.21

$1.04 ฿35.08

49.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.39 A$47.83

$14.11 ฿475

136.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 A$1.68

$1.31 ฿44.13

-9.92%

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

$28.7K A$41.1K

$27.8K ฿936.0K

3.20%

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

$22.5K A$32.2K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-32.35%

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

$184 A$264

$122 ฿4,120

50.25%

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

$27.60 A$39.55

$13.59 ฿457

103.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.4 A$75.0

$18.70 ฿629

179.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.05 A$68.8

$60.5 ฿2,035

-20.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.43 A$22.11

$16.98 ฿572

-9.13%

Cinema Ticket

$12.79 A$18.33

$9.07 ฿305

41.01%

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

$1,633 A$2,340

$706 ฿23.8K

131.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K A$17.1K

$15.8K ฿531.8K

-24.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.2 A$99.1

$58.6 ฿1,970

18.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.0 A$71.7

$35.36 ฿1,190

41.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.3 A$141

$115 ฿3,885

-14.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 A$154

$83.7 ฿2,818

28.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 A$1,786

$626 ฿21.1K

99.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,051 A$1,505

$445 ฿15.0K

136.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,007 A$2,875

$2,040 ฿68.7K

-1.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,711 A$2,452

$1,492 ฿50.2K

14.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,350 A$7,665

$3,483 ฿117.2K

53.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,880 A$6,991

$2,577 ฿86.7K

89.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

5.33

18.95%

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

Last update for Bega NSW: July 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,247 in Bega NSW versus $626 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 $77.0 in Bega NSW versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $341 vs $289 – 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

Bega NSW vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Bega NSW is pricier by about 80%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,378 per month in Bega NSW and $1,875 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.

Kindergarten costs $1,633 per month in Bega NSW and $706 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 18% more in Bega NSW, 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 $1,250, than in Bega NSW at $2,252. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bega NSW it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Bega NSW makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.