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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,021 per month in Mackay vs $1,264 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,154 per month in Mackay vs $2,256 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,286 per month in Mackay vs $3,248 in Phuket, rent included.

Mackay costs about 60% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mackay sits 52% above the global median, while Phuket is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.10 A$23.12

$4.48 ฿150

259.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.3 A$104

$45.59 ฿1,525

58.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 A$16.63

$8.76 ฿293

32.19%

Cappuccino

$3.89 A$5.59

$2.97 ฿99.3

30.98%

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

$3.06 A$4.39

$0.69 ฿22.96

343.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 A$3.63

$0.39 ฿13.07

548.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.66 A$9.56

$2.53 ฿84.7

163.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.56 A$9.43

$3.75 ฿125

74.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 A$1.88

$2.15 ฿71.8

-39.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.12 A$3.05

$1.82 ฿60.7

16.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.52 A$3.63

$2.18 ฿73.1

15.60%

Eggs

$4.88 A$7.01

$2.25 ฿75.2

116.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.93 A$12.82

$20.00 ฿669

-55.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.10 A$11.63

$3.63 ฿121

123.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.70 A$21.11

$13.56 ฿453

8.41%

Apples (1kg)

$3.37 A$4.85

$3.24 ฿109

4.01%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 A$4.07

$1.64 ฿54.7

72.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 A$4.24

$2.33 ฿78.0

26.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.63 A$6.65

$2.07 ฿69.3

123.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.75 A$2.51

$1.55 ฿51.8

12.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 A$2.35

$1.46 ฿48.67

11.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 A$2.75

$0.98 ฿32.94

95.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 A$3.27

$0.48 ฿16.13

375.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$38.40 A$55.2

$4.35 ฿146

782.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.50 A$12.21

$18.57 ฿621

-54.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.74 A$6.81

$1.86 ฿62.1

154.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.54 A$7.96

$2.65 ฿88.8

109.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.30 A$3.30

$1.42 ฿47.40

61.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.4 A$93.9

$11.57 ฿387

464.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.37 A$7.71

$3.17 ฿106

69.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 A$2.64

$1.03 ฿34.51

78.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.03 A$46.01

$13.89 ฿465

130.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 A$1.65

$1.34 ฿44.96

-14.18%

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

$37.0K A$53.1K

$27.8K ฿929.6K

33.13%

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

$28.4K A$40.8K

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-14.97%

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

$187 A$268

$123 ฿4,116

51.65%

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

$26.91 A$38.65

$13.77 ฿461

95.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.6 A$107

$18.33 ฿613

306.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.3 A$108

$60.7 ฿2,030

24.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.54 A$28.06

$17.16 ฿574

13.87%

Cinema Ticket

$15.58 A$22.38

$8.87 ฿297

75.65%

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

$1,722 A$2,473

$688 ฿23.0K

150.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K A$17.6K

$15.8K ฿527.8K

-22.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.2 A$98.0

$59.3 ฿1,984

15.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.55 A$66.9

$34.69 ฿1,160

34.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 A$162

$115 ฿3,853

-2.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.4 A$140

$83.8 ฿2,802

16.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$897 A$1,288

$621 ฿20.8K

44.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$782 A$1,123

$446 ฿14.9K

75.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,716 A$2,465

$2,034 ฿68.0K

-15.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,618 A$2,325

$1,496 ฿50.0K

8.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,179 A$4,566

$3,455 ฿115.6K

-8.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,716 A$2,465

$2,531 ฿84.7K

-32.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,632 A$8,090

$494 ฿16.5K

1040.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.7

5.33

6.94%

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

Last update for Mackay: July 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $897 in Mackay versus $621 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 1041% 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 $72.0 in Mackay versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $339 vs $291 – 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 60%, 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 $3,032 per month in Mackay and $1,896 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 17% 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 $72.0 in Mackay and $46.00 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 $1,264, than in Mackay at $2,021. 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.