Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamilton and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamilton and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,850 in Hamilton versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,919 in Hamilton versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,988 in Hamilton versus $3,248 in Phuket.

Living in Hamilton is roughly 46% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Hamilton is 39% above, Phuket is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.94 NZ$24.02

$4.48 ฿150

211.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.0 NZ$145

$45.59 ฿1,525

84.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.97 NZ$15.46

$8.76 ฿293

2.40%

Cappuccino

$3.54 NZ$6.09

$2.97 ฿99.3

19.19%

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

$2.37 NZ$4.08

$0.69 ฿22.96

243.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 NZ$5.06

$0.39 ฿13.07

653.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.84 NZ$11.79

$2.53 ฿84.7

170.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.24 NZ$10.75

$3.75 ฿125

66.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 NZ$2.77

$2.15 ฿71.8

-25.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 NZ$2.28

$1.82 ฿60.7

-27.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 NZ$3.33

$2.18 ฿73.1

-11.47%

Eggs

$5.95 NZ$10.26

$2.25 ฿75.2

164.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.81 NZ$10.00

$20.00 ฿669

-70.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.14 NZ$14.03

$3.63 ฿121

124.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 NZ$18.72

$13.56 ฿453

-19.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 NZ$4.74

$3.24 ฿109

-15.12%

Banana (1kg)

$2.89 NZ$4.97

$1.64 ฿54.7

76.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.09 NZ$5.32

$2.33 ฿78.0

32.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 NZ$11.23

$2.07 ฿69.3

214.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 NZ$3.84

$1.55 ฿51.8

43.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 NZ$3.48

$1.46 ฿48.67

38.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 NZ$4.46

$0.98 ฿32.94

164.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 NZ$1.83

$0.48 ฿16.13

120.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.43 NZ$43.81

$4.35 ฿146

484.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.90 NZ$18.79

$18.57 ฿621

-41.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.43 NZ$5.91

$1.86 ฿62.1

84.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 NZ$7.65

$2.65 ฿88.8

67.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.62 NZ$2.78

$1.42 ฿47.40

14.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.05 NZ$82.8

$11.57 ฿387

315.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.25 NZ$7.32

$3.17 ฿106

34.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 NZ$3.36

$1.03 ฿34.51

89.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.19 NZ$72.7

$13.89 ฿465

203.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 NZ$2.97

$1.34 ฿44.96

28.36%

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

$23.5K NZ$40.5K

$27.8K ฿929.6K

-15.45%

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

$23.1K NZ$39.7K

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-30.89%

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

$92.1 NZ$159

$123 ฿4,116

-25.18%

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

$39.33 NZ$67.8

$13.77 ฿461

185.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.2 NZ$91.6

$18.33 ฿613

190.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.88 NZ$54.9

$60.7 ฿2,030

-47.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.96 NZ$29.23

$17.16 ฿574

-1.17%

Cinema Ticket

$13.36 NZ$23.01

$8.87 ฿297

50.62%

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

$847 NZ$1,459

$688 ฿23.0K

23.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.1K NZ$31.2K

$15.8K ฿527.8K

14.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 NZ$108

$59.3 ฿1,984

6.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.53 NZ$69.8

$34.69 ฿1,160

16.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 NZ$150

$115 ฿3,853

-24.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 NZ$202

$83.8 ฿2,802

40.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 NZ$1,697

$621 ฿20.8K

58.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$851 NZ$1,467

$446 ฿14.9K

90.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,244 NZ$2,144

$2,034 ฿68.0K

-38.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,591 NZ$2,741

$1,496 ฿50.0K

6.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,119 NZ$7,097

$3,455 ฿115.6K

19.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,634 NZ$7,985

$2,531 ฿84.7K

83.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,718 NZ$4,684

$494 ฿16.5K

450.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.83

5.33

28.14%

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

Last update for Hamilton: July 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $985 in Hamilton and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hamilton pays 451% 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: $84.0 in Hamilton vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $309 vs $291 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

Hamilton vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 46% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 451% higher in Hamilton, 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: $985 in Hamilton versus $621 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $84.0 in Hamilton. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,850 per month in Hamilton versus $1,264 in Phuket – a 46% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,850 in Hamilton, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Hamilton. 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 Hamilton, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Hamilton 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 46% less than in Hamilton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.