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: $1,932 in Cambridge versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,869 in Cambridge versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,807 in Cambridge versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in Cambridge is roughly 54% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cambridge is 41% above, Phuket is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.74 NZ$25.01

$4.56 ฿152

223.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 NZ$60.8

$32.62 ฿1,086

9.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.01 NZ$15.28

$8.90 ฿296

1.24%

Cappuccino

$3.00 NZ$5.09

$2.80 ฿93.4

7.14%

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

$2.15 NZ$3.65

$0.88 ฿29.31

144.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 NZ$3.08

$0.49 ฿16.29

269.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.79 NZ$8.12

$2.39 ฿79.5

100.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.29 NZ$12.37

$3.71 ฿124

96.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 NZ$2.79

$1.79 ฿59.5

-8.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 NZ$4.07

$1.44 ฿48.00

66.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 NZ$3.31

$1.58 ฿52.8

23.42%

Eggs

$6.21 NZ$10.54

$2.13 ฿70.8

191.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.66 NZ$14.70

$19.92 ฿663

-56.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 NZ$17.15

$3.43 ฿114

194.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.35 NZ$22.65

$11.33 ฿377

17.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 NZ$4.54

$2.95 ฿98.2

-9.15%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 NZ$3.75

$1.72 ฿57.3

28.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.40 NZ$4.08

$2.32 ฿77.4

3.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.90 NZ$4.93

$2.08 ฿69.3

39.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.33 NZ$3.96

$1.47 ฿48.96

58.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 NZ$2.95

$1.36 ฿45.22

27.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.13 NZ$3.61

$1.10 ฿36.59

93.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 NZ$1.94

$0.57 ฿19.13

101.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$28.59 NZ$48.50

$4.27 ฿142

569.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.57 NZ$17.92

$18.42 ฿613

-42.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.97 NZ$5.04

$1.87 ฿62.3

58.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 NZ$6.26

$2.92 ฿97.3

26.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.80 NZ$3.05

$2.22 ฿73.9

-18.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100 NZ$170

$22.90 ฿762

336.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 NZ$4.10

$3.03 ฿101

-20.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.03 NZ$3.44

$1.07 ฿35.77

89.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.94 NZ$57.6

$3.93 ฿131

763.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 NZ$2.87

$1.49 ฿49.68

13.42%

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

$27.1K NZ$46.0K

$27.1K ฿903.4K

-0.04%

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

$23.9K NZ$40.6K

$27.5K ฿914.1K

-12.87%

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

$107 NZ$182

$103 ฿3,423

4.46%

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

$28.06 NZ$47.59

$10.99 ฿366

155.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.72 NZ$64.0

$17.51 ฿583

115.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.20 NZ$61.4

$53.5 ฿1,783

-32.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿373

Cinema Ticket

$13.98 NZ$23.71

$7.48 ฿249

86.90%

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

$1,201 NZ$2,038

$557 ฿18.5K

115.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.0K NZ$35.7K

$11.9K ฿394.7K

77.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.6 NZ$140

$64.1 ฿2,134

28.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.87 NZ$76.1

$29.07 ฿968

54.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.5 NZ$152

$96.0 ฿3,195

-6.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 NZ$204

$90.3 ฿3,008

33.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$966 NZ$1,638

$730 ฿24.3K

32.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$862 NZ$1,463

$500 ฿16.6K

72.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,659 NZ$2,814

$2,090 ฿69.6K

-20.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,516 NZ$2,572

$1,209 ฿40.3K

25.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,087 NZ$8,628

$3,596 ฿119.7K

41.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,412 NZ$5,787

$2,512 ฿83.7K

35.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,704 NZ$4,586

$503 ฿16.8K

437.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

5.57

-3.23%

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

Last update for Cambridge: August 30, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $966 in Cambridge and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cambridge pays 437% 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 $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $317 vs $273 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

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 54% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 437% 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: $966 in Cambridge versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,932 per month in Cambridge versus $1,253 in Phuket – a 54% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 337% less than in Cambridge. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,253 in Phuket versus $1,932 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 54% less than in Cambridge. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.