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: $2,217 in Cambridge versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,973 in Cambridge versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,729 in Cambridge versus $3,317 in Phuket.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.40 NZ$22.93

$4.55 ฿153

194.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.88 NZ$61.4

$46.18 ฿1,550

-22.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 NZ$15.77

$8.84 ฿297

4.30%

Cappuccino

$3.05 NZ$5.23

$3.06 ฿103

-0.33%

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

$2.38 NZ$4.08

$0.73 ฿24.36

226.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 NZ$3.81

$0.40 ฿13.37

457.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.95 NZ$8.46

$2.43 ฿81.6

103.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.21 NZ$10.62

$3.78 ฿127

64.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 NZ$2.86

$2.26 ฿75.8

-26.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 NZ$2.90

$1.81 ฿60.8

-6.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 NZ$3.26

$2.25 ฿75.7

-15.11%

Eggs

$6.27 NZ$10.73

$2.25 ฿75.4

178.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.37 NZ$14.31

$19.51 ฿655

-57.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.02 NZ$15.43

$3.65 ฿122

147.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.17 NZ$20.83

$13.05 ฿438

-6.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 NZ$4.16

$3.23 ฿109

-24.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 NZ$3.12

$1.62 ฿54.3

12.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.34 NZ$4.00

$2.38 ฿80.0

-1.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.06 NZ$5.23

$2.03 ฿68.0

50.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 NZ$3.69

$1.53 ฿51.5

40.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 NZ$3.03

$1.50 ฿50.4

18.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 NZ$3.47

$0.98 ฿32.85

107.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 NZ$2.11

$0.52 ฿17.36

138.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.04 NZ$34.29

$4.44 ฿149

351.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.18 NZ$17.41

$18.32 ฿615

-44.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 NZ$4.31

$1.86 ฿62.6

35.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 NZ$4.49

$2.68 ฿90.0

-2.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.09 NZ$5.28

$1.41 ฿47.37

119.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.7 NZ$111

$11.70 ฿393

452.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 NZ$4.54

$3.11 ฿104

-14.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.93 NZ$3.30

$1.04 ฿35.00

85.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.76 NZ$59.5

$14.11 ฿474

146.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 NZ$2.96

$1.31 ฿44.02

32.06%

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

$27.6K NZ$47.3K

$27.8K ฿933.8K

-0.66%

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

$22.9K NZ$39.2K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-30.96%

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

$110 NZ$189

$122 ฿4,110

-9.76%

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

$37.70 NZ$64.5

$13.59 ฿456

177.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.46 NZ$67.5

$18.70 ฿628

111.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.48 NZ$64.1

$60.5 ฿2,031

-38.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.19 NZ$20.86

$16.98 ฿570

-28.21%

Cinema Ticket

$9.08 NZ$15.53

$9.07 ฿305

0.11%

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

$757 NZ$1,296

$706 ฿23.7K

7.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K NZ$20.8K

$15.8K ฿530.5K

-23.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.8 NZ$167

$58.6 ฿1,965

67.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.2 NZ$97.9

$35.36 ฿1,187

61.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 NZ$177

$115 ฿3,876

-10.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 NZ$216

$83.7 ฿2,811

50.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$954 NZ$1,633

$626 ฿21.0K

52.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,204 NZ$2,060

$445 ฿14.9K

170.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,081 NZ$3,560

$2,040 ฿68.5K

1.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,594 NZ$2,727

$1,492 ฿50.1K

6.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,784 NZ$8,185

$3,483 ฿116.9K

37.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,307 NZ$5,657

$2,577 ฿86.5K

28.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,610 NZ$4,465

$500 ฿16.8K

422.15%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $954 in Cambridge and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cambridge pays 422% 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 $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $292 vs $289, 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.

Average pay runs 422% higher in Cambridge, 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: $954 in Cambridge versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,217 per month in Cambridge versus $1,250 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 453% less than in Cambridge. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,250 in Phuket versus $2,217 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.