Cost of Living Comparison Between Levin and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Levin and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,855 per month in Levin vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,912 per month in Levin vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,970 per month in Levin vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Levin costs about 47% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Levin sits 38% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.55 NZ$33.00

$4.70 ฿153

315.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.6 NZ$168

$45.37 ฿1,482

119.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 NZ$15.07

$8.43 ฿275

5.93%

Cappuccino

$2.94 NZ$4.96

$2.93 ฿95.6

0.34%

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

$2.30 NZ$3.89

$0.69 ฿22.40

233.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 NZ$3.69

$0.37 ฿11.99

489.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.05 NZ$11.90

$2.41 ฿78.6

192.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.34 NZ$10.71

$3.72 ฿122

70.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 NZ$2.86

$2.23 ฿72.9

-24.22%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 NZ$1.27

$1.83 ฿59.8

-59.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 NZ$2.97

$2.17 ฿70.8

-18.89%

Eggs

$6.26 NZ$10.57

$2.21 ฿72.3

183.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.32 NZ$12.36

$19.74 ฿645

-62.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.93 NZ$13.38

$3.63 ฿119

118.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.25 NZ$17.31

$13.53 ฿442

-24.24%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 NZ$3.08

$3.28 ฿107

-44.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 NZ$3.15

$1.61 ฿52.6

15.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 NZ$4.30

$2.41 ฿78.6

5.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 NZ$3.32

$2.08 ฿68.1

-5.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 NZ$3.52

$1.53 ฿49.93

36.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 NZ$3.77

$1.48 ฿48.36

50.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 NZ$2.58

$0.99 ฿32.29

54.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 NZ$0.98

$0.51 ฿16.67

13.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.36 NZ$32.68

$4.41 ฿144

339.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.95 NZ$20.17

$19.38 ฿633

-38.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 NZ$4.22

$1.78 ฿58.1

40.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 NZ$4.57

$2.71 ฿88.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.16 NZ$3.65

$1.37 ฿44.79

57.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.0 NZ$108

$11.39 ฿372

461.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.75 NZ$4.64

$3.02 ฿98.6

-8.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 NZ$3.15

$0.99 ฿32.48

87.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.72 NZ$60.3

$14.10 ฿461

153.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.70 NZ$2.87

$1.36 ฿44.51

25.00%

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

$26.7K NZ$45.1K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-5.34%

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

$23.2K NZ$39.1K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-29.63%

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

$199 NZ$336

$122 ฿3,975

63.74%

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

$37.08 NZ$62.6

$13.57 ฿443

173.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.50 NZ$80.2

$18.31 ฿598

159.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.24 NZ$61.2

$60.2 ฿1,967

-39.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.10 NZ$20.43

$17.14 ฿560

-29.40%

Cinema Ticket

$9.20 NZ$15.53

$8.69 ฿284

5.87%

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

$756 NZ$1,276

$693 ฿22.6K

8.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K NZ$20.4K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-23.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.9 NZ$165

$59.5 ฿1,944

64.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.11 NZ$40.70

$34.77 ฿1,136

-30.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.8 NZ$90.8

$115 ฿3,743

-53.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 NZ$203

$83.3 ฿2,720

44.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$972 NZ$1,642

$613 ฿20.0K

58.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$792 NZ$1,338

$437 ฿14.3K

81.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,556 NZ$2,627

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-25.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,416 NZ$2,391

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-6.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,322 NZ$7,298

$3,749 ฿122.5K

15.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,977 NZ$5,026

$2,616 ฿85.4K

13.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.69

5.33

25.52%

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

Last update for Levin: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $972 in Levin versus $613 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 $100 in Levin versus $45.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $255 in Levin vs $293 in Phuket – so Levin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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: $1,855 in Levin, $1,265 in Phuket – roughly 47% apart. Levin costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,782 per month in Levin 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.

Public transport costs about 462% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $756 per month in Levin and $693 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 $1,265, than in Levin at $1,855. 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 $1,265 in Phuket to $1,855 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.