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: $1,659 in Hamilton versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,757 in Hamilton versus $2,089 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,856 in Hamilton versus $2,913 in Phuket.

Living in Hamilton is roughly 31% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Hamilton is 20% above, Phuket is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.43 NZ$21.38

$4.66 ฿154

166.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.5 NZ$132

$32.22 ฿1,065

137.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.80 NZ$15.12

$8.68 ฿287

1.38%

Cappuccino

$3.58 NZ$6.16

$2.90 ฿95.8

23.45%

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

$2.37 NZ$4.07

$0.84 ฿27.89

182.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 NZ$4.38

$0.49 ฿16.16

420.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.35 NZ$10.92

$2.48 ฿82.0

156.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 NZ$10.27

$3.73 ฿123

60.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 NZ$2.56

$1.89 ฿62.3

-21.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 NZ$2.30

$1.41 ฿46.54

-4.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 NZ$3.42

$1.62 ฿53.6

22.84%

Eggs

$5.64 NZ$9.70

$2.24 ฿74.1

151.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.03 NZ$10.36

$19.84 ฿656

-69.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.78 NZ$13.38

$3.48 ฿115

123.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.65 NZ$21.75

$11.37 ฿376

11.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 NZ$4.67

$2.90 ฿95.8

-6.55%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 NZ$3.94

$1.72 ฿57.0

33.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.36 NZ$5.77

$2.27 ฿75.1

48.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.50 NZ$11.17

$2.13 ฿70.4

205.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 NZ$3.52

$1.47 ฿48.72

39.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 NZ$2.47

$1.42 ฿46.92

0.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.06 NZ$3.55

$1.10 ฿36.25

87.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 NZ$1.90

$0.60 ฿19.76

85.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.52 NZ$45.59

$4.31 ฿142

515.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.34 NZ$19.50

$18.60 ฿615

-39.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.04 NZ$6.94

$1.80 ฿59.5

124.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 NZ$7.48

$2.97 ฿98.0

46.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 NZ$2.96

$2.25 ฿74.2

-23.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.68 NZ$73.4

$23.49 ฿776

81.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.72 NZ$6.40

$3.10 ฿102

20.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.67 NZ$2.87

$1.43 ฿47.16

16.78%

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

$28.5K NZ$48.9K

$27.8K ฿918.0K

2.43%

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

$24.3K NZ$41.8K

$27.0K ฿891.5K

-9.91%

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

$60.7 NZ$104

$105 ฿3,462

-42.10%

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

$37.57 NZ$64.6

$11.39 ฿376

229.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 NZ$99.1

$17.54 ฿580

228.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.07 NZ$44.82

$54.3 ฿1,795

-52.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.02 NZ$49.89

$11.44 ฿378

153.67%

Cinema Ticket

$14.53 NZ$24.98

$7.78 ฿257

86.76%

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

$693 NZ$1,191

$576 ฿19.0K

20.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.4K NZ$40.2K

$11.6K ฿382.7K

101.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.9 NZ$112

$63.6 ฿2,103

1.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.18 NZ$69.1

$29.10 ฿961

38.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.0 NZ$170

$96.2 ฿3,179

2.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 NZ$189

$90.0 ฿2,974

22.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$867 NZ$1,490

$733 ฿24.2K

18.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$687 NZ$1,181

$501 ฿16.5K

37.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,510 NZ$2,597

$2,126 ฿70.2K

-28.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,575 NZ$2,707

$1,252 ฿41.4K

25.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,087 NZ$7,026

$3,534 ฿116.8K

15.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,728 NZ$8,128

$2,622 ฿86.6K

80.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,775 NZ$4,771

$508 ฿16.8K

446.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.83

5.57

22.62%

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

Last update for Hamilton: September 5, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $867 in Hamilton and $733 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hamilton pays 447% 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: $77.0 in Hamilton vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $309 vs $275 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 31% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 447% 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: $867 in Hamilton versus $733 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 $32.00 versus $77.0 in Hamilton. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,659 per month in Hamilton versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,659 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 31% less than in Hamilton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.