Cost of Living Comparison Between Bendigo and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Bendigo and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,667 per month in Bendigo vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,448 per month in Bendigo vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,229 per month in Bendigo vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

Bendigo costs about 33% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Bendigo sits 25% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.32 A$27.69

$4.55 ฿153

324.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.2 A$83.3

$46.18 ฿1,554

25.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 A$13.93

$8.84 ฿298

9.95%

Cappuccino

$3.59 A$5.15

$3.06 ฿103

17.32%

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

$2.63 A$3.76

$0.73 ฿24.42

260.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 A$3.29

$0.40 ฿13.40

475.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.13 A$10.21

$2.43 ฿81.8

193.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 A$6.41

$3.78 ฿127

18.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 A$1.51

$2.26 ฿76.0

-53.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 A$3.64

$1.81 ฿60.9

40.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 A$3.24

$2.25 ฿75.8

0.44%

Eggs

$4.36 A$6.25

$2.25 ฿75.6

93.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 A$12.96

$19.51 ฿656

-53.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.84 A$12.67

$3.65 ฿123

142.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.79 A$21.19

$13.05 ฿439

13.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 A$4.66

$3.23 ฿109

0.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.92 A$4.18

$1.62 ฿54.4

80.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 A$4.17

$2.38 ฿80.2

22.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.08 A$5.84

$2.03 ฿68.2

100.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.31 A$3.31

$1.53 ฿51.6

50.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 A$2.85

$1.50 ฿50.5

32.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 A$3.14

$0.98 ฿32.93

123.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 A$2.27

$0.52 ฿17.40

203.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.02 A$32.99

$4.44 ฿149

418.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.17 A$13.13

$18.32 ฿616

-49.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.70 A$6.73

$1.86 ฿62.7

152.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.02 A$7.20

$2.68 ฿90.2

87.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.28 A$6.13

$1.41 ฿47.49

203.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.6 A$78.2

$11.70 ฿394

366.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.68 A$5.27

$3.11 ฿105

18.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 A$2.02

$1.04 ฿35.08

35.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.10 A$18.77

$14.11 ฿475

-7.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 A$1.66

$1.31 ฿44.13

-11.45%

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

$24.8K A$35.5K

$27.8K ฿936.0K

-10.90%

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

$18.4K A$26.4K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-44.46%

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

$150 A$215

$122 ฿4,120

22.71%

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

$19.82 A$28.40

$13.59 ฿457

45.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.43 A$68.0

$18.70 ฿629

153.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.8 A$82.9

$60.5 ฿2,035

-4.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.43 A$26.40

$16.98 ฿572

8.54%

Cinema Ticket

$10.42 A$14.93

$9.07 ฿305

14.88%

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

$1,162 A$1,665

$706 ฿23.8K

64.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.4K A$27.8K

$15.8K ฿531.8K

22.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 A$94.8

$58.6 ฿1,970

13.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.2 A$76.2

$35.36 ฿1,190

50.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 A$151

$115 ฿3,885

-8.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 A$147

$83.7 ฿2,818

22.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$625 A$895

$626 ฿21.1K

-0.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 A$698

$445 ฿15.0K

9.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 A$1,395

$2,040 ฿68.7K

-52.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$667 A$955

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-55.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,335 A$6,210

$3,483 ฿117.2K

24.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,795 A$5,438

$2,577 ฿86.7K

47.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,287 A$4,709

$500 ฿16.8K

557.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

5.33

16.14%

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

Last update for Bendigo: July 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $625 in Bendigo 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.

Salaries run about 558% higher in Bendigo, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $58.0 in Bendigo versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $335 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

Bendigo vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Bendigo is pricier by about 33%, 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 $2,501 per month in Bendigo 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $58.0 in Bendigo and $46.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,667 in Bendigo and $1,250 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,250, than in Bendigo at $1,667. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bendigo 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, Bendigo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.