Cost of Living Comparison Between Burnie and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Burnie and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,629 in Burnie versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,467 in Burnie versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,305 in Burnie versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Burnie is roughly 30% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Burnie is 22% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Burnie
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.32 A$23.37
$4.55 ฿153
258.68%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.6 A$121
$46.18 ฿1,550
83.17%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.12 A$7.33
$8.84 ฿297
-42.08%
Cappuccino
$3.60 A$5.15
$3.06 ฿103
17.65%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.65 A$3.79
$0.73 ฿24.36
263.01%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.67 A$2.39
$0.40 ฿13.37
317.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.00 A$5.72
$2.43 ฿81.6
64.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.64 A$8.07
$3.78 ฿127
49.21%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Burnie
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.83 A$2.63
$2.26 ฿75.8
-19.03%
White Bread (500g)
$2.47 A$3.54
$1.81 ฿60.8
36.46%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.75 A$2.51
$2.25 ฿75.7
-22.22%
Eggs
$4.55 A$6.52
$2.25 ฿75.4
102.22%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.36 A$13.39
$19.51 ฿655
-52.02%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.98 A$8.56
$3.65 ฿122
63.84%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.32 A$23.36
$13.05 ฿438
25.06%
Apples (1kg)
$2.63 A$3.77
$3.23 ฿109
-18.58%
Banana (1kg)
$2.55 A$3.65
$1.62 ฿54.3
57.41%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.98 A$2.84
$2.38 ฿80.0
-16.81%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.67 A$3.82
$2.03 ฿68.0
31.53%
Potato (1kg)
$2.58 A$3.70
$1.53 ฿51.5
68.63%
Onion (1kg)
$1.92 A$2.75
$1.50 ฿50.4
28.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.92 A$2.75
$0.98 ฿32.85
95.92%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.99 A$2.85
$0.52 ฿17.36
282.69%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$26.35 A$37.72
$4.44 ฿149
493.47%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.45 A$20.69
$18.32 ฿615
-21.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.28 A$4.70
$1.86 ฿62.6
76.34%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.32 A$7.62
$2.68 ฿90.0
98.51%
🚌 Getting Around
Burnie
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.74 A$2.49
$1.41 ฿47.37
23.40%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$65.3 A$93.5
$11.70 ฿393
457.86%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.37 A$3.39
$3.11 ฿104
-23.79%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.88 A$2.69
$1.04 ฿35.00
80.77%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.32 A$41.97
$14.11 ฿474
107.80%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.18 A$1.69
$1.31 ฿44.02
-9.92%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.7K A$41.1K
$27.8K ฿933.8K
3.24%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.1K A$38.8K
$33.2K ฿1.1M
-18.50%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Burnie
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$193 A$276
$122 ฿4,110
57.33%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.82 A$28.38
$13.59 ฿456
45.84%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$45.74 A$65.5
$18.70 ฿628
144.60%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Burnie
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$48.44 A$69.4
$60.5 ฿2,031
-19.92%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.97 A$22.87
$16.98 ฿570
-5.95%
Cinema Ticket
$13.15 A$18.83
$9.07 ฿305
44.98%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Burnie
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,664 A$2,382
$706 ฿23.7K
135.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.9K A$17.1K
$15.8K ฿530.5K
-24.50%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Burnie
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.1 A$90.4
$58.6 ฿1,965
7.82%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$23.13 A$33.12
$35.36 ฿1,187
-34.59%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 A$149
$115 ฿3,876
-9.70%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$87.0 A$125
$83.7 ฿2,811
3.88%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Burnie
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$746 A$1,068
$626 ฿21.0K
19.25%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$530 A$759
$445 ฿14.9K
19.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,054 A$1,510
$2,040 ฿68.5K
-48.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$787 A$1,127
$1,492 ฿50.1K
-47.27%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,380 A$7,703
$3,483 ฿116.9K
54.49%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,804 A$8,309
$2,577 ฿86.5K
125.24%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Burnie
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,105 A$7,309
$500 ฿16.8K
921.29%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.6
5.33
5.07%

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

Last update for Burnie: July 11, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $746 in Burnie and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Burnie pays 921% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $85.0 in Burnie vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $324 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
Burnie vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Burnie?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 30% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Burnie or Phuket?
Average pay runs 921% higher in Burnie, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Burnie and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $746 in Burnie versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Burnie and in Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in Burnie. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is eating out cheaper in Burnie or in Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $85.0 in Burnie. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Burnie or in Phuket?
At $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,629 in Burnie, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Burnie. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Burnie or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Burnie, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Burnie or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Burnie 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 30% less than in Burnie. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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