Cost of Living Comparison Between Ipswich and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Ipswich and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,141 per month in Ipswich vs $1,223 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,053 per month in Ipswich vs $2,237 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,965 per month in Ipswich vs $3,251 in Phuket, rent included.

Ipswich costs about 75% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Ipswich sits 61% above the global median, while Phuket is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.38 A$23.34

$4.51 ฿148

263.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.2 A$113

$46.62 ฿1,528

69.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.83 A$14.01

$8.49 ฿278

15.78%

Cappuccino

$3.41 A$4.86

$3.08 ฿101

10.71%

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

$2.53 A$3.61

$0.68 ฿22.26

272.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 A$3.00

$0.36 ฿11.84

483.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.39 A$9.11

$2.43 ฿79.5

162.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.30 A$10.41

$3.63 ฿119

101.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 A$2.11

$2.19 ฿71.7

-32.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.36 A$3.37

$1.81 ฿59.5

30.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 A$2.80

$2.23 ฿73.1

-11.66%

Eggs

$4.36 A$6.21

$2.24 ฿73.3

94.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.67 A$12.36

$19.60 ฿642

-55.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.28 A$11.81

$3.72 ฿122

122.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.65 A$19.46

$13.47 ฿441

1.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.20 A$4.57

$3.36 ฿110

-4.76%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 A$4.04

$1.62 ฿53.0

74.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.98 A$4.25

$2.41 ฿79.0

23.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.07 A$5.80

$1.99 ฿65.2

104.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 A$3.47

$1.53 ฿50.2

58.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 A$3.11

$1.45 ฿47.59

50.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 A$3.08

$1.01 ฿33.23

113.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 A$2.27

$0.48 ฿15.86

231.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$40.09 A$57.2

$4.27 ฿140

838.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.35 A$31.86

$19.12 ฿627

16.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.45 A$6.34

$1.84 ฿60.2

141.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.27 A$7.51

$2.74 ฿89.8

92.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.63 A$3.75

$1.42 ฿46.44

85.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.8 A$92.3

$11.72 ฿384

452.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 A$2.92

$3.00 ฿98.4

-31.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 A$1.98

$1.05 ฿34.28

32.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.32 A$47.49

$13.90 ฿456

139.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 A$1.68

$1.29 ฿42.28

-8.53%

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

$28.9K A$41.2K

$28.0K ฿918.7K

3.04%

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

$22.1K A$31.6K

$33.5K ฿1.1M

-33.90%

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

$182 A$260

$122 ฿3,997

49.28%

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

$28.92 A$41.22

$13.93 ฿457

107.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.1 A$74.3

$18.87 ฿618

176.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.19 A$70.1

$61.3 ฿2,008

-19.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.01 A$22.82

$16.84 ฿552

-4.93%

Cinema Ticket

$13.04 A$18.59

$8.89 ฿291

46.68%

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

$1,628 A$2,321

$691 ฿22.7K

135.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K A$17.5K

$16.2K ฿529.5K

-24.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.2 A$98.6

$57.8 ฿1,894

19.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.3 A$71.7

$35.39 ฿1,160

42.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 A$144

$113 ฿3,716

-11.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 A$152

$83.0 ฿2,720

28.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 A$1,354

$607 ฿19.9K

56.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$948 A$1,351

$448 ฿14.7K

111.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,319 A$1,881

$2,029 ฿66.5K

-34.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 A$1,876

$1,493 ฿48.9K

-11.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿117.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,299 A$6,128

$505 ฿16.5K

751.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

12.57%

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

Last update for Ipswich: June 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Ipswich versus $607 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 752% higher in Ipswich, 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 $79.0 in Ipswich versus $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $354 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

Ipswich vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ipswich is pricier by about 75%, 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 $3,212 per month in Ipswich and $1,835 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 $2,141 in Ipswich and $1,223 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 453% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,223, than in Ipswich at $2,141. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ipswich 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, Ipswich makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.