Cost of Living Comparison Between Cambridge and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Cambridge and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,238 in Cambridge versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,021 in Cambridge versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,804 in Cambridge versus $3,329 in Phuket.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Cambridge is 67% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.82 NZ$23.34

$4.70 ฿153

194.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.76 NZ$60.4

$45.37 ฿1,482

-21.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.78 NZ$14.83

$8.43 ฿275

4.15%

Cappuccino

$2.94 NZ$4.97

$2.93 ฿95.6

0.34%

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

$2.30 NZ$3.89

$0.69 ฿22.40

233.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 NZ$3.62

$0.37 ฿11.99

481.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.83 NZ$8.16

$2.41 ฿78.6

100.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.47 NZ$10.93

$3.72 ฿122

73.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 NZ$2.75

$2.23 ฿72.9

-26.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 NZ$2.87

$1.83 ฿59.8

-7.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 NZ$3.17

$2.17 ฿70.8

-13.36%

Eggs

$6.18 NZ$10.44

$2.21 ฿72.3

179.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.39 NZ$14.16

$19.74 ฿645

-57.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.11 NZ$15.39

$3.63 ฿119

150.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.48 NZ$21.07

$13.53 ฿442

-7.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 NZ$4.09

$3.28 ฿107

-26.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 NZ$3.19

$1.61 ฿52.6

17.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.44 NZ$4.11

$2.41 ฿78.6

1.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.94 NZ$4.96

$2.08 ฿68.1

41.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 NZ$3.58

$1.53 ฿49.93

38.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.76 NZ$2.98

$1.48 ฿48.36

18.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.12 NZ$3.58

$0.99 ฿32.29

114.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 NZ$2.19

$0.51 ฿16.67

152.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.37 NZ$34.39

$4.41 ฿144

361.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.12 NZ$17.09

$19.38 ฿633

-47.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 NZ$4.25

$1.78 ฿58.1

41.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 NZ$4.47

$2.71 ฿88.6

-2.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.99 NZ$5.04

$1.37 ฿44.79

118.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.5 NZ$109

$11.39 ฿372

466.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 NZ$4.50

$3.02 ฿98.6

-11.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.97 NZ$3.33

$0.99 ฿32.48

98.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.74 NZ$60.3

$14.10 ฿461

153.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 NZ$2.80

$1.36 ฿44.51

22.06%

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

$27.5K NZ$46.4K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-2.58%

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

$23.5K NZ$39.7K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-28.54%

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

$109 NZ$184

$122 ฿3,975

-10.55%

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

$36.71 NZ$62.0

$13.57 ฿443

170.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.79 NZ$67.2

$18.31 ฿598

117.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.23 NZ$62.9

$60.2 ฿1,967

-38.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.85 NZ$20.01

$17.14 ฿560

-30.86%

Cinema Ticket

$9.29 NZ$15.69

$8.69 ฿284

6.90%

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

$742 NZ$1,253

$693 ฿22.6K

7.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K NZ$20.3K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-23.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.7 NZ$167

$59.5 ฿1,944

65.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.8 NZ$95.8

$34.77 ฿1,136

63.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 NZ$177

$115 ฿3,743

-8.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 NZ$218

$83.3 ฿2,720

55.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$975 NZ$1,646

$613 ฿20.0K

59.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,217 NZ$2,055

$437 ฿14.3K

178.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,146 NZ$3,623

$2,094 ฿68.4K

2.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,590 NZ$2,684

$1,509 ฿49.3K

5.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,563 NZ$7,703

$3,749 ฿122.5K

21.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,389 NZ$5,722

$2,616 ฿85.4K

29.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,683 NZ$4,530

$508 ฿16.6K

428.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

12.57%

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

Last update for Cambridge: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $975 in Cambridge and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cambridge pays 428% 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: $36.00 in Cambridge vs $45.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $294 vs $293, with Phuket cheaper for home cooking.

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

Cambridge vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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.

Cambridge pays 428% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $975 in Cambridge versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,238 per month in Cambridge versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 77% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 467% less than in Cambridge. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,238 in Cambridge, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Cambridge. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cambridge, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cambridge 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.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 77% less than in Cambridge. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.