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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,060 per month in Ipswich vs $1,261 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,938 per month in Ipswich vs $2,078 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,816 per month in Ipswich vs $2,896 in Phuket, rent included.

Ipswich costs about 63% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Ipswich sits 50% above the global median, while Phuket is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$32.33 A$45.39

$4.43 ฿145

629.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.9 A$109

$35.07 ฿1,151

122.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.10 A$14.19

$8.96 ฿294

12.72%

Cappuccino

$4.49 A$6.31

$3.00 ฿98.4

49.67%

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

$3.92 A$5.51

$0.77 ฿25.33

409.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 A$3.40

$0.47 ฿15.44

414.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.43 A$13.23

$2.40 ฿78.6

292.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.90 A$11.10

$3.75 ฿123

110.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.46 A$3.46

$1.82 ฿59.8

35.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 A$3.57

$1.42 ฿46.65

78.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.32 A$3.26

$1.55 ฿50.8

49.68%

Eggs

$7.43 A$10.43

$2.13 ฿69.9

248.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.28 A$10.22

$19.76 ฿648

-63.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.62 A$12.11

$3.48 ฿114

147.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.17 A$19.89

$11.09 ฿364

27.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 A$4.67

$2.91 ฿95.5

14.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.62 A$3.68

$1.66 ฿54.6

57.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.86 A$4.01

$2.27 ฿74.5

25.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.88 A$5.44

$2.10 ฿68.8

84.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 A$2.76

$1.47 ฿48.24

34.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 A$3.06

$1.41 ฿46.29

54.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.42 A$3.40

$1.09 ฿35.78

122.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 A$2.43

$0.54 ฿17.58

220.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$44.74 A$62.8

$4.48 ฿147

898.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.76 A$31.95

$18.72 ฿614

21.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$6.24 A$8.76

$1.84 ฿60.4

239.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.54 A$10.59

$2.95 ฿96.7

155.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 A$0.49

$2.26 ฿74.1

-84.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.07 ฿757

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.22 A$3.12

$3.04 ฿99.9

-26.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 A$2.30

$1.09 ฿35.82

50.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$36.81 A$51.7

$3.82 ฿125

863.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 A$2.02

$1.49 ฿48.79

-3.36%

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

$27.4K ฿900.3K

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

$27.5K ฿902.7K

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

$92.9 A$130

$102 ฿3,340

-8.72%

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

$32.13 A$45.12

$11.28 ฿370

184.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.5 A$90.6

$17.75 ฿582

263.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.01 A$25.29

$54.2 ฿1,777

-66.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.96 ฿360

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 ฿258

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

$577 ฿18.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿381.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 ฿2,144

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.89 ฿948

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 ฿3,250

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,961

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,033 A$1,450

$756 ฿24.8K

36.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,034 A$1,452

$487 ฿16.0K

112.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,445 A$2,029

$2,085 ฿68.4K

-30.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,448 A$2,033

$1,207 ฿39.6K

19.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,591 ฿117.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,610 ฿85.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,196 A$5,893

$502 ฿16.5K

735.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.98

5.57

7.36%

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

Last update for Ipswich: August 18, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,033 in Ipswich versus $756 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 736% 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 $78.0 in Ipswich versus $35.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $392 vs $272 – 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 63%, 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 $3,089 per month in Ipswich and $1,891 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 44% more in Ipswich, 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 $78.0 in Ipswich and $35.00 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 $1,261, than in Ipswich at $2,060. 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.