Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Levin and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,207 a month against $1,859 in Levin, rent and utilities included – about $7,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

90

Cost of Living Index in Levin
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Levin Living Index
59

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index

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Levin

🇳🇿 New Zealand

$1,859

/mo nomad

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,207

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Levin and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Levin and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,859 per month in Levin vs $1,207 in Phuket, rent included.

Levin $1,859
Phuket $1,207

A couple spends around $2,784 per month in Levin vs $2,037 in Phuket, rent included.

Levin $2,784
Phuket $2,037

A family of three spends $3,710 per month in Levin vs $2,867 in Phuket, rent included.

Levin $3,710
Phuket $2,867

Levin costs about 54% more than Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Levin sits 38% above the global median, while Phuket is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.55 NZ$23.97

$4.58 ฿153

195.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.9 NZ$115

$32.48 ฿1,086

99.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.89 NZ$15.72

$8.55 ฿286

3.98%

Cappuccino

$2.87 NZ$5.08

$2.72 ฿91.0

5.51%

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

$2.46 NZ$4.35

$0.94 ฿31.25

161.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 NZ$2.93

$0.49 ฿16.39

238.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.09 NZ$12.54

$2.59 ฿86.6

173.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 NZ$11.63

$3.83 ฿128

71.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 NZ$3.28

$1.74 ฿58.1

6.32%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 NZ$1.60

$1.43 ฿47.82

-37.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 NZ$3.05

$1.53 ฿51.0

12.42%

Eggs

$6.99 NZ$12.37

$2.17 ฿72.7

222.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.37 NZ$11.27

$19.15 ฿640

-66.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.00 NZ$12.38

$3.30 ฿110

112.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.46 NZ$16.73

$11.14 ฿372

-15.08%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 NZ$2.95

$2.95 ฿98.5

-43.39%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 NZ$3.78

$1.68 ฿56.1

27.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 NZ$5.29

$2.30 ฿76.8

30.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 NZ$3.09

$2.13 ฿71.3

-17.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 NZ$3.36

$1.53 ฿51.1

24.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 NZ$2.17

$1.36 ฿45.55

-9.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.86 NZ$3.30

$1.12 ฿37.44

66.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 NZ$0.94

$0.55 ฿18.24

-3.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.98 NZ$31.80

$4.26 ฿142

322.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.36 NZ$20.10

$18.19 ฿608

-37.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.22 NZ$5.69

$1.74 ฿58.2

85.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 NZ$4.91

$2.79 ฿93.3

-0.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 NZ$3.04

$2.22 ฿74.1

-22.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.0 NZ$143

$22.06 ฿737

267.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 NZ$3.28

$2.91 ฿97.3

-36.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 NZ$3.11

$1.01 ฿33.79

74.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.04 NZ$58.4

$3.83 ฿128

762.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 NZ$2.82

$1.49 ฿49.85

7.38%

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

$25.5K NZ$45.1K

$26.7K ฿891.6K

-4.49%

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

$24.9K NZ$44.1K

$26.7K ฿892.7K

-6.67%

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

$198 NZ$349

$99.4 ฿3,321

98.76%

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

$21.86 NZ$38.65

$11.28 ฿377

93.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.4 NZ$92.6

$17.36 ฿580

201.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.09 NZ$67.4

$52.3 ฿1,747

-27.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.85 ฿362

Cinema Ticket

$10.01 NZ$17.70

$7.57 ฿253

32.23%

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

$1,036 NZ$1,832

$558 ฿18.7K

85.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.0K NZ$23.1K

$11.5K ฿383.9K

13.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.7 NZ$136

$62.9 ฿2,102

22.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.97 NZ$38.85

$28.58 ฿955

-23.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$51.0 NZ$90.2

$96.1 ฿3,213

-46.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 NZ$200

$88.1 ฿2,943

28.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$993 NZ$1,756

$729 ฿24.4K

36.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$824 NZ$1,457

$460 ฿15.4K

79.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 NZ$2,109

$2,096 ฿70.0K

-43.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,463 NZ$2,587

$1,222 ฿40.8K

19.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,974 NZ$8,796

$3,459 ฿115.6K

43.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,415 NZ$6,039

$2,489 ฿83.2K

37.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$493 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

5.57

-3.23%

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

Last update for Levin: October 11, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Levin

$824 44.3%

Phuket

$460 38.1% 44.2% $364

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Levin

$272 14.6%

Phuket

$128 10.6% 52.9% $144

Groceries & Markets

Levin

$253 13.6%

Phuket

$268 22.2% 5.7% $14

Eating Out

Levin

$235 12.6%

Phuket

$121 10.1% 48.3% $113

Clothing & Footwear

Levin

$118 6.4%

Phuket

$124 10.3% 4.9% $5.8

Getting Around

Levin

$99 5.3%

Phuket

$39 3.2% 60.5% $60

Sport & Entertainment

Levin

$58 3.1%

Phuket

$67 5.6% 16% $9.3

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $993 in Levin versus $729 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in Levin versus $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $253 in Levin vs $268 in Phuket – so Levin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇳🇿 Levin

🇹🇭 Phuket

🕒 Local time

13:14 1:14 PM

07:14 7:14 AM

6 h behind Levin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

18,800

79,308

💱 Currency

New Zealand Dollar NZD $

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1 NZD = 0.565 USD

1 NZD = 0.503 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to NZD – New Zealand Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇳🇿 New Zealand Dollar ($)

New Zealand Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.77 NZD (1 NZD = 0.565 USD). 1 EUR = 1.99 NZD (1 NZD = 0.503 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to NZD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Levin Phuket 9,490 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Levin
Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Levin vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,859 in Levin, $1,207 in Phuket – roughly 54% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,788 per month in Levin and $1,811 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.

Public transport costs about 267% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,036 per month in Levin and $558 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 $1,207, than in Levin at $1,859. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Levin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,207 in Phuket to $1,859 in Levin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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