Cost of Living Comparison Between Hervey Bay and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Hervey Bay and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,092 per month in Hervey Bay vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,079 per month in Hervey Bay vs $2,255 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,067 per month in Hervey Bay vs $3,279 in Phuket, rent included.

Hervey Bay costs about 70% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Hervey Bay sits 56% above the global median, while Phuket is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.52 A$22.97

$4.63 ฿151

256.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.7 A$99.6

$46.84 ฿1,523

53.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.88 A$13.74

$8.84 ฿287

11.76%

Cappuccino

$3.67 A$5.10

$3.00 ฿97.4

22.33%

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

$2.67 A$3.71

$0.74 ฿24.11

260.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 A$2.88

$0.37 ฿11.88

459.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.39 A$7.49

$2.44 ฿79.3

120.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.97 A$11.08

$3.61 ฿117

120.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 A$2.15

$2.26 ฿73.5

-31.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 A$1.51

$1.84 ฿59.8

-41.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 A$2.54

$2.24 ฿73.0

-18.30%

Eggs

$3.05 A$4.24

$2.32 ฿75.3

31.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.99 A$11.10

$19.67 ฿639

-59.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.94 A$8.26

$3.65 ฿119

62.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.74 A$19.11

$13.10 ฿426

4.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 A$4.48

$3.39 ฿110

-4.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 A$3.20

$1.64 ฿53.4

40.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.73 A$3.80

$2.41 ฿78.5

13.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 A$6.05

$2.03 ฿66.0

114.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 A$2.69

$1.56 ฿50.6

24.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 A$2.64

$1.50 ฿48.66

26.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$2.98

$1.02 ฿33.30

109.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 A$1.72

$0.49 ฿15.91

153.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$33.00 A$45.87

$4.45 ฿145

641.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.51 A$16.00

$18.88 ฿614

-39.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.47 A$6.21

$1.78 ฿57.7

151.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.26 A$5.92

$2.75 ฿89.5

54.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.67 A$3.71

$1.40 ฿45.54

90.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.4 A$91.0

$11.48 ฿373

470.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.31 A$3.20

$3.12 ฿101

-25.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 A$2.12

$1.00 ฿32.48

52.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.41 A$46.45

$14.09 ฿458

137.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 A$1.70

$1.35 ฿43.93

-9.63%

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

$29.3K A$40.7K

$27.2K ฿883.7K

7.72%

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

$22.6K A$31.4K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-31.38%

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

$148 A$206

$125 ฿4,063

18.32%

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

$25.30 A$35.17

$13.57 ฿441

86.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.8 A$74.8

$18.52 ฿602

190.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.38 A$68.6

$61.5 ฿1,999

-19.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.54 A$21.60

$16.84 ฿547

-7.72%

Cinema Ticket

$12.81 A$17.80

$9.19 ฿299

39.39%

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

$1,601 A$2,225

$698 ฿22.7K

129.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,631 A$12.0K

$15.6K ฿506.9K

-44.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 A$82.9

$57.8 ฿1,878

3.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.10 A$61.3

$35.24 ฿1,146

25.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.8 A$81.8

$113 ฿3,677

-48.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.7 A$81.7

$86.4 ฿2,808

-32.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,240 A$1,724

$616 ฿20.0K

101.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,053 A$1,464

$446 ฿14.5K

136.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,054 A$2,855

$2,048 ฿66.6K

0.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,664 A$2,313

$1,492 ฿48.5K

11.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿122.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,848 A$5,349

$524 ฿17.0K

634.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.24

5.33

17.07%

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

Last update for Hervey Bay: April 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,240 in Hervey Bay 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 635% higher in Hervey Bay, 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 $72.0 in Hervey Bay versus $47.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $290 in Hervey Bay vs $292 in Phuket – so Hervey Bay wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Hervey Bay vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Hervey Bay is pricier by about 70%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,138 per month in Hervey Bay 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.

Kindergarten costs $1,601 per month in Hervey Bay and $698 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Hervey Bay – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,232, than in Hervey Bay at $2,092. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hervey Bay it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Hervey Bay makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.