Cost of Living Comparison Between Mackay and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Mackay and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,256 per month in Mackay vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,606 per month in Mackay vs $2,054 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,957 per month in Mackay vs $2,876 in Phuket, rent included.

Mackay costs about 83% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mackay sits 65% above the global median, while Phuket is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.66 A$24.91

$4.41 ฿147

300.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.3 A$110

$32.26 ฿1,077

142.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.67 A$17.87

$8.93 ฿298

41.88%

Cappuccino

$4.17 A$5.88

$2.90 ฿96.6

43.79%

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

$3.29 A$4.65

$0.88 ฿29.38

273.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 A$3.98

$0.48 ฿16.06

487.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.95 A$9.80

$2.35 ฿78.5

195.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.93 A$9.78

$3.72 ฿124

86.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 A$2.80

$1.87 ฿62.3

6.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 A$3.73

$1.47 ฿48.94

79.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.89 A$4.08

$1.55 ฿51.8

86.45%

Eggs

$5.87 A$8.28

$2.10 ฿70.1

179.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.56 A$13.49

$19.59 ฿654

-51.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.91 A$12.56

$3.42 ฿114

160.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.64 A$23.46

$11.38 ฿380

46.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 A$5.24

$2.98 ฿99.6

24.50%

Banana (1kg)

$3.01 A$4.24

$1.68 ฿56.2

79.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.22 A$4.54

$2.21 ฿73.7

45.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.74 A$9.50

$2.16 ฿72.1

212.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 A$3.59

$1.52 ฿50.9

67.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 A$3.80

$1.34 ฿44.67

101.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.17 A$4.47

$1.13 ฿37.67

180.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.06 A$4.31

$0.55 ฿18.24

456.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$44.08 A$62.2

$4.26 ฿142

934.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.61 A$12.15

$19.09 ฿637

-54.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.32 A$7.51

$1.78 ฿59.4

198.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.30 A$8.89

$2.78 ฿92.9

126.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.51 A$3.54

$2.23 ฿74.4

12.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.4 A$99.2

$22.74 ฿759

209.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 A$8.43

$3.03 ฿101

97.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.10 A$2.96

$1.02 ฿34.15

105.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.24 A$49.70

$3.89 ฿130

805.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 A$1.72

$1.49 ฿49.77

-18.12%

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

$27.2K A$38.4K

$26.6K ฿887.3K

2.34%

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

$36.1K A$50.9K

$27.0K ฿902.2K

33.52%

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

$235 A$332

$102 ฿3,420

129.72%

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

$29.78 A$42.00

$11.33 ฿378

162.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.1 A$113

$17.40 ฿581

360.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.9 A$76.1

$52.1 ฿1,738

3.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.84 A$30.80

$11.07 ฿370

97.29%

Cinema Ticket

$16.86 A$23.77

$7.69 ฿257

119.25%

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

$1,891 A$2,667

$561 ฿18.7K

237.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,891 A$9,718

$11.5K ฿384.1K

-40.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.1 A$104

$63.0 ฿2,104

17.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.7 A$74.3

$29.52 ฿986

78.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 A$181

$98.0 ฿3,272

30.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 A$151

$88.5 ฿2,954

21.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$969 A$1,366

$738 ฿24.6K

31.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$814 A$1,148

$482 ฿16.1K

68.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,915 A$2,700

$2,107 ฿70.3K

-9.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,832 A$2,584

$1,226 ฿40.9K

49.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,275 A$4,619

$3,617 ฿120.7K

-9.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,768 A$2,494

$2,603 ฿86.9K

-32.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,756 A$8,117

$494 ฿16.5K

1066.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.63

5.57

1.08%

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

Last update for Mackay: September 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $969 in Mackay 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 1066% higher in Mackay, 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 Mackay versus $32.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $407 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

Mackay vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mackay is pricier by about 83%, 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 $3,385 per month in Mackay 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.

Groceries cost about 49% more in Mackay, 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 Mackay and $32.00 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 $1,232, than in Mackay at $2,256. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mackay 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, Mackay makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.