Cost of Living Comparison Between Broken Hill and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Broken Hill and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,212 in Broken Hill versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,258 in Broken Hill versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,303 in Broken Hill versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Broken Hill is roughly 77% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Broken Hill is 66% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Broken Hill
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.47 A$23.60
$4.55 ฿153
261.98%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$78.3 A$112
$46.18 ฿1,554
69.47%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.58 A$13.72
$8.84 ฿298
8.37%
Cappuccino
$3.44 A$4.93
$3.06 ฿103
12.42%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.60 A$3.72
$0.73 ฿24.42
256.16%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.19 A$3.14
$0.40 ฿13.40
447.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.43 A$9.21
$2.43 ฿81.8
164.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.14 A$10.23
$3.78 ฿127
88.89%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Broken Hill
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.50 A$2.15
$2.26 ฿76.0
-33.63%
White Bread (500g)
$2.32 A$3.32
$1.81 ฿60.9
28.18%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.03 A$2.91
$2.25 ฿75.8
-9.78%
Eggs
$4.22 A$6.04
$2.25 ฿75.6
87.56%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.74 A$12.52
$19.51 ฿656
-55.20%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.49 A$12.16
$3.65 ฿123
132.60%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.46 A$19.29
$13.05 ฿439
3.14%
Apples (1kg)
$3.24 A$4.64
$3.23 ฿109
0.31%
Banana (1kg)
$2.73 A$3.91
$1.62 ฿54.4
68.52%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.90 A$4.15
$2.38 ฿80.2
21.85%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.22 A$6.05
$2.03 ฿68.2
107.88%
Potato (1kg)
$2.53 A$3.62
$1.53 ฿51.6
65.36%
Onion (1kg)
$2.19 A$3.13
$1.50 ฿50.5
46.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.16 A$3.09
$0.98 ฿32.93
120.41%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.54 A$2.21
$0.52 ฿17.40
196.15%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$30.69 A$43.97
$4.44 ฿149
591.22%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.64 A$20.97
$18.32 ฿616
-20.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.69 A$6.72
$1.86 ฿62.7
152.15%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.41 A$7.75
$2.68 ฿90.2
101.87%
🚌 Getting Around
Broken Hill
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.66 A$3.81
$1.41 ฿47.49
88.65%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$66.2 A$94.8
$11.70 ฿394
465.38%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.49 A$5.00
$3.11 ฿105
12.22%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.57 A$2.25
$1.04 ฿35.08
50.96%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$33.08 A$47.39
$14.11 ฿475
134.44%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.18 A$1.70
$1.31 ฿44.13
-9.92%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.1K A$41.8K
$27.8K ฿936.0K
4.77%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.8K A$32.7K
$33.2K ฿1.1M
-31.31%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Broken Hill
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$184 A$264
$122 ฿4,120
50.26%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.93 A$38.58
$13.59 ฿457
98.16%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$52.2 A$74.8
$18.70 ฿629
179.25%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Broken Hill
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$49.23 A$70.5
$60.5 ฿2,035
-18.61%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.42 A$22.09
$16.98 ฿572
-9.19%
Cinema Ticket
$13.10 A$18.77
$9.07 ฿305
44.43%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Broken Hill
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,656 A$2,372
$706 ฿23.8K
134.41%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.0K A$17.2K
$15.8K ฿531.8K
-24.14%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Broken Hill
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$68.4 A$97.9
$58.6 ฿1,970
16.75%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$51.1 A$73.3
$35.36 ฿1,190
44.63%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$97.9 A$140
$115 ฿3,885
-15.19%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108 A$154
$83.7 ฿2,818
28.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Broken Hill
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,255 A$1,798
$626 ฿21.1K
100.63%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,060 A$1,518
$445 ฿15.0K
138.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,997 A$2,861
$2,040 ฿68.7K
-2.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 A$2,447
$1,492 ฿50.2K
14.45%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,703 A$8,170
$3,483 ฿117.2K
63.75%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,369 A$7,692
$2,577 ฿86.7K
108.38%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Broken Hill
Phuket
Difference
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 Broken Hill: July 11, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,255 in Broken Hill and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $78.0 in Broken Hill vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $340 vs $289 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
Broken Hill vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Broken Hill?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 77% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $3,319 in Broken Hill and $1,875 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 Broken Hill and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,255 in Broken Hill versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $1,656 in Broken Hill versus $706 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 Broken Hill and in Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Broken Hill. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Broken Hill or in Phuket?
At $1,250 in Phuket versus $2,212 in Broken Hill, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Broken Hill. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Broken Hill or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Broken Hill, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Broken Hill or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Broken Hill 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 77% less than in Broken Hill. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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