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 $2,500 per month in Hervey Bay vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,619 per month in Hervey Bay vs $2,089 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,738 per month in Hervey Bay vs $2,913 in Phuket, rent included.

Hervey Bay costs about 98% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Hervey Bay sits 81% above the global median, while Phuket is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.28 A$25.49

$4.66 ฿154

292.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.9 A$117

$32.22 ฿1,065

160.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.93 A$15.25

$8.68 ฿287

25.92%

Cappuccino

$3.91 A$5.45

$2.90 ฿95.8

34.83%

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

$3.05 A$4.25

$0.84 ฿27.89

263.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 A$3.19

$0.49 ฿16.16

367.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.30 A$8.78

$2.48 ฿82.0

154.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.82 A$12.30

$3.73 ฿123

136.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 A$2.45

$1.89 ฿62.3

-6.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.82 A$3.93

$1.41 ฿46.54

100.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 A$3.27

$1.62 ฿53.6

45.06%

Eggs

$5.08 A$7.08

$2.24 ฿74.1

126.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.31 A$12.97

$19.84 ฿656

-53.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.50 A$13.24

$3.48 ฿115

172.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.22 A$19.82

$11.37 ฿376

25.07%

Apples (1kg)

$4.28 A$5.96

$2.90 ฿95.8

47.59%

Banana (1kg)

$3.02 A$4.21

$1.72 ฿57.0

75.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 A$4.12

$2.27 ฿75.1

29.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.00 A$6.97

$2.13 ฿70.4

134.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.90 A$4.05

$1.47 ฿48.72

97.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.45 A$3.41

$1.42 ฿46.92

72.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 A$3.43

$1.10 ฿36.25

123.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 A$1.83

$0.60 ฿19.76

118.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$40.44 A$56.4

$4.31 ฿142

838.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.12 A$18.29

$18.60 ฿615

-29.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.40 A$7.53

$1.80 ฿59.5

200.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.22 A$7.28

$2.97 ฿98.0

75.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.04 A$4.24

$2.25 ฿74.2

35.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.8 A$136

$23.49 ฿776

316.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 A$4.20

$3.10 ฿102

-2.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 A$2.59

$1.08 ฿35.56

72.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.21 A$60.2

$3.87 ฿128

1016.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 A$1.94

$1.43 ฿47.16

-2.80%

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

$28.1K A$39.1K

$27.8K ฿918.0K

0.96%

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

$29.5K A$41.1K

$27.0K ฿891.5K

9.24%

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

$171 A$238

$105 ฿3,462

62.70%

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

$28.57 A$39.83

$11.39 ฿376

150.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.1 A$88.0

$17.54 ฿580

259.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.2 A$69.9

$54.3 ฿1,795

-7.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.09 A$29.41

$11.44 ฿378

84.35%

Cinema Ticket

$16.62 A$23.16

$7.78 ฿257

113.62%

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

$2,180 A$3,040

$576 ฿19.0K

278.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K A$17.8K

$11.6K ฿382.7K

10.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 A$89.3

$63.6 ฿2,103

0.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.36 A$61.9

$29.10 ฿961

52.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.2 A$89.5

$96.2 ฿3,179

-33.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.9 A$89.1

$90.0 ฿2,974

-29.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,457 A$2,032

$733 ฿24.2K

98.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,283 A$1,788

$501 ฿16.5K

156.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,337 A$3,258

$2,126 ฿70.2K

9.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,866 A$2,601

$1,252 ฿41.4K

48.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,920 A$8,253

$3,534 ฿116.8K

67.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,634 A$6,460

$2,622 ฿86.6K

76.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,943 A$4,104

$508 ฿16.8K

479.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.87

5.57

5.39%

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

Last update for Hervey Bay: September 5, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,457 in Hervey Bay versus $733 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 480% 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 $84.0 in Hervey Bay versus $32.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $373 vs $275 – 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

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

Yes – Hervey Bay is pricier by about 98%, 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 $3,750 per month in Hervey Bay and $1,898 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 $2,180 per month in Hervey Bay and $576 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 36% more in Hervey Bay, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Hervey Bay at $2,500. 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.