Cost of Living Comparison Between Hastings and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Hastings and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,421 per month in Hastings vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,292 per month in Hastings vs $2,255 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,162 per month in Hastings vs $3,279 in Phuket, rent included.

Hastings costs about 15% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Hastings sits 6% above the global median, while Phuket is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.12 NZ$20.72

$4.63 ฿151

161.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.7 NZ$143

$46.84 ฿1,532

78.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.51 NZ$16.27

$8.84 ฿289

7.58%

Cappuccino

$3.41 NZ$5.84

$3.00 ฿98.0

13.67%

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

$1.85 NZ$3.16

$0.74 ฿24.25

150.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 NZ$3.51

$0.37 ฿11.95

454.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.89 NZ$10.08

$2.44 ฿79.8

141.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.28 NZ$12.44

$3.61 ฿118

101.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 NZ$3.25

$2.26 ฿73.9

-15.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.04 NZ$3.49

$1.84 ฿60.1

10.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 NZ$3.32

$2.24 ฿73.4

-13.39%

Eggs

$6.16 NZ$10.53

$2.32 ฿75.7

165.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.02 NZ$13.72

$19.67 ฿643

-59.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.16 NZ$19.09

$3.65 ฿119

205.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.63 NZ$21.61

$13.10 ฿428

-3.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 NZ$4.89

$3.39 ฿111

-15.63%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 NZ$3.64

$1.64 ฿53.7

29.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 NZ$5.15

$2.41 ฿79.0

24.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.80 NZ$8.21

$2.03 ฿66.4

136.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 NZ$3.20

$1.56 ฿50.9

19.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 NZ$2.51

$1.50 ฿48.94

-2.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 NZ$3.72

$1.02 ฿33.50

112.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 NZ$1.67

$0.49 ฿16.00

97.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.89 NZ$37.43

$4.45 ฿145

391.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.69 NZ$16.57

$18.88 ฿617

-48.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.72 NZ$6.36

$1.78 ฿58.1

108.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 NZ$4.86

$2.75 ฿90.1

3.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.50 NZ$4.28

$1.40 ฿45.81

78.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.4 NZ$105

$11.48 ฿376

435.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 NZ$4.75

$3.12 ฿102

-10.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 NZ$3.14

$1.00 ฿32.67

84.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$60.1 NZ$103

$14.09 ฿461

326.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.67 NZ$2.85

$1.35 ฿44.19

23.70%

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

$31.0K NZ$52.9K

$27.2K ฿888.9K

13.91%

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

$20.7K NZ$35.5K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-37.00%

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

$155 NZ$266

$125 ฿4,087

24.33%

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

$32.96 NZ$56.4

$13.57 ฿444

142.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.8 NZ$88.5

$18.52 ฿606

179.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.54 NZ$62.5

$61.5 ฿2,010

-40.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.09 NZ$20.67

$16.84 ฿551

-28.21%

Cinema Ticket

$10.88 NZ$18.61

$9.19 ฿300

18.39%

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

$806 NZ$1,379

$698 ฿22.8K

15.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.7K NZ$21.7K

$15.6K ฿509.9K

-18.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 NZ$108

$57.8 ฿1,889

8.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.2 NZ$91.0

$35.24 ฿1,152

50.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 NZ$198

$113 ฿3,699

2.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 NZ$230

$86.4 ฿2,825

55.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$395 NZ$675

$616 ฿20.1K

-35.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$349 NZ$598

$446 ฿14.6K

-21.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,042 NZ$1,782

$2,048 ฿67.0K

-49.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$585 NZ$1,001

$1,492 ฿48.8K

-60.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,157 NZ$3,688

$524 ฿17.1K

311.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.94

5.33

30.21%

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

Last update for Hastings: April 25, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $395 in Hastings versus $616 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 312% higher in Hastings, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $84.0 in Hastings versus $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $325 vs $292 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Hastings vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hastings costs about 15% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,131 per month in Hastings and $1,847 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 11% more in Hastings, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $84.0 in Hastings and $47.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,232, than in Hastings at $1,421. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hastings it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,232 versus $1,421 in Hastings. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hastings makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.