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: $1,899 in Hamilton versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,955 in Hamilton versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,012 in Hamilton versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Hamilton is roughly 51% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Hamilton is 41% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.69 NZ$23.38

$4.56 ฿149

200.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.2 NZ$142

$46.63 ฿1,519

78.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.62 NZ$14.72

$8.47 ฿276

1.77%

Cappuccino

$3.59 NZ$6.14

$3.03 ฿98.6

18.48%

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

$2.32 NZ$3.96

$0.69 ฿22.45

236.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 NZ$4.76

$0.37 ฿11.92

654.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 NZ$11.72

$2.49 ฿81.0

175.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.30 NZ$10.75

$3.66 ฿119

72.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 NZ$2.71

$2.18 ฿71.0

-27.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 NZ$2.27

$1.90 ฿62.0

-30.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 NZ$3.30

$2.20 ฿71.6

-12.27%

Eggs

$5.81 NZ$9.91

$2.22 ฿72.4

161.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.94 NZ$10.15

$19.99 ฿651

-70.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.07 NZ$13.79

$3.66 ฿119

120.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.05 NZ$18.87

$13.25 ฿432

-16.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 NZ$4.59

$3.23 ฿105

-16.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.97 NZ$5.07

$1.70 ฿55.3

74.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.97 NZ$5.07

$2.39 ฿78.0

24.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.70 NZ$11.44

$2.08 ฿67.7

222.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 NZ$3.81

$1.59 ฿51.8

40.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 NZ$3.26

$1.48 ฿48.31

29.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.70 NZ$4.61

$1.03 ฿33.54

162.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 NZ$1.76

$0.52 ฿16.83

98.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.09 NZ$44.55

$4.25 ฿138

513.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.99 NZ$18.77

$18.79 ฿612

-41.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.54 NZ$6.04

$1.76 ฿57.2

101.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.49 NZ$7.67

$2.76 ฿89.8

62.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.70 NZ$2.91

$1.36 ฿44.32

25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.87 NZ$81.8

$11.36 ฿370

321.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.24 NZ$7.24

$3.14 ฿102

35.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.93 NZ$3.29

$1.04 ฿33.74

85.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.67 NZ$72.9

$13.77 ฿448

209.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 NZ$2.81

$1.34 ฿43.79

22.39%

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

$23.6K NZ$40.3K

$27.7K ฿901.4K

-14.78%

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

$23.4K NZ$40.0K

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-30.83%

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

$92.5 NZ$158

$124 ฿4,025

-25.20%

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

$38.79 NZ$66.2

$13.52 ฿440

186.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.0 NZ$90.5

$18.69 ฿609

183.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.48 NZ$53.8

$61.8 ฿2,013

-49.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 NZ$28.75

$17.25 ฿562

-2.38%

Cinema Ticket

$13.64 NZ$23.30

$9.14 ฿298

49.23%

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

$861 NZ$1,470

$703 ฿22.9K

22.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K NZ$30.7K

$15.9K ฿517.0K

13.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.9 NZ$104

$59.5 ฿1,937

2.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.31 NZ$68.8

$35.07 ฿1,142

14.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.0 NZ$150

$115 ฿3,754

-23.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 NZ$201

$84.1 ฿2,737

40.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$959 NZ$1,637

$619 ฿20.1K

54.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$871 NZ$1,487

$433 ฿14.1K

101.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 NZ$2,085

$2,062 ฿67.2K

-40.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,630 NZ$2,784

$1,511 ฿49.2K

7.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,989 NZ$6,812

$3,646 ฿118.7K

9.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,560 NZ$7,787

$2,626 ฿85.5K

73.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,664 NZ$4,549

$507 ฿16.5K

425.47%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $959 in Hamilton and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hamilton pays 425% 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: $83.0 in Hamilton vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $311 vs $293 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 51% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Hamilton pays 425% 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: $959 in Hamilton versus $619 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 $47.00 versus $83.0 in Hamilton. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,899 per month in Hamilton versus $1,261 in Phuket – a 51% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,899 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 51% less than in Hamilton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.