Cost of Living Comparison Between Invercargill and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Invercargill and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,449 per month in Invercargill vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,182 per month in Invercargill vs $2,054 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,916 per month in Invercargill vs $2,876 in Phuket, rent included.

Invercargill costs about 18% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Invercargill sits 6% above the global median, while Phuket is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.58 NZ$25.48

$4.41 ฿147

230.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.7 NZ$110

$32.26 ฿1,077

94.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.60 NZ$15.03

$8.93 ฿298

-3.70%

Cappuccino

$3.24 NZ$5.67

$2.90 ฿96.6

11.72%

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

$1.77 NZ$3.10

$0.88 ฿29.38

101.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 NZ$3.64

$0.48 ฿16.06

333.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 NZ$5.11

$2.35 ฿78.5

24.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 NZ$4.90

$3.72 ฿124

-24.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 NZ$3.02

$1.87 ฿62.3

-7.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.86 NZ$3.26

$1.47 ฿48.94

26.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 NZ$3.07

$1.55 ฿51.8

13.55%

Eggs

$5.78 NZ$10.10

$2.10 ฿70.1

175.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.46 NZ$14.80

$19.59 ฿654

-56.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.89 NZ$15.55

$3.42 ฿114

159.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.27 NZ$21.46

$11.38 ฿380

7.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 NZ$4.70

$2.98 ฿99.6

-9.73%

Banana (1kg)

$2.41 NZ$4.21

$1.68 ฿56.2

43.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 NZ$4.57

$2.21 ฿73.7

18.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.59 NZ$6.28

$2.16 ฿72.1

66.20%

Potato (1kg)

$3.20 NZ$5.60

$1.52 ฿50.9

110.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 NZ$3.04

$1.34 ฿44.67

29.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 NZ$4.22

$1.13 ฿37.67

113.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 NZ$1.95

$0.55 ฿18.24

101.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.83 NZ$31.17

$4.26 ฿142

318.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.49 NZ$14.85

$19.09 ฿637

-55.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 NZ$5.37

$1.78 ฿59.4

72.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 NZ$5.85

$2.78 ฿92.9

20.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.47 NZ$2.57

$2.23 ฿74.4

-34.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 NZ$3.94

$3.03 ฿101

-25.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.97 NZ$3.44

$1.02 ฿34.15

93.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.93 NZ$50.6

$3.89 ฿130

643.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 NZ$2.90

$1.49 ฿49.77

11.41%

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

$24.1K NZ$42.1K

$26.6K ฿887.3K

-9.33%

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

$18.9K NZ$33.1K

$27.0K ฿902.2K

-29.91%

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

$114 NZ$199

$102 ฿3,420

11.01%

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

$32.46 NZ$56.8

$11.33 ฿378

186.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.31 NZ$75.7

$17.40 ฿581

148.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.25 NZ$49.39

$52.1 ฿1,738

-45.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.18 NZ$24.80

$11.07 ฿370

28.09%

Cinema Ticket

$9.12 NZ$15.94

$7.69 ฿257

18.60%

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

$596 NZ$1,042

$561 ฿18.7K

6.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 NZ$105

$63.0 ฿2,104

-4.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.12 NZ$63.2

$29.52 ฿986

22.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.5 NZ$127

$98.0 ฿3,272

-26.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.4 NZ$144

$88.5 ฿2,954

-6.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$609 NZ$1,064

$738 ฿24.6K

-17.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 NZ$999

$482 ฿16.1K

18.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$855 NZ$1,495

$2,107 ฿70.3K

-59.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$792 NZ$1,384

$1,226 ฿40.9K

-35.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,751 NZ$10.1K

$3,617 ฿120.7K

59.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,151 NZ$9,004

$2,603 ฿86.9K

97.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,834 NZ$4,954

$494 ฿16.5K

474.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.72

5.57

20.65%

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

Last update for Invercargill: September 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $609 in Invercargill versus $738 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 474% higher in Invercargill, 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 $63.0 in Invercargill versus $32.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $304 vs $274 – 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

Invercargill vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Invercargill costs about 18% 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 $2,173 per month in Invercargill 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,449 in Invercargill and $1,232 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $596 per month in Invercargill and $561 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,232, than in Invercargill at $1,449. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Invercargill it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,232 versus $1,449 in Invercargill. 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, Invercargill makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.