Cost of Living Comparison Between Madang and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Madang and Phuket

Name: Phuket
Address: Phuket, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $526 per month in Madang vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,166 per month in Madang vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,805 per month in Madang vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Madang is about 58% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Madang and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Madang 61% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.70 PGK 29.22

$4.70 ฿153

42.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.78 PGK 165

$45.37 ฿1,482

-16.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 PGK 47.83

$8.43 ฿275

30.13%

Cappuccino

$2.35 PGK 10.23

$2.93 ฿95.6

-19.80%

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

$1.23 PGK 5.38

$0.69 ฿22.40

78.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 PGK 3.05

$0.37 ฿11.99

89.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 PGK 12.67

$2.41 ฿78.6

20.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 PGK 19.15

$3.72 ฿122

18.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 PGK 8.22

$2.23 ฿72.9

-15.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 PGK 6.33

$1.83 ฿59.8

-20.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 PGK 6.14

$2.17 ฿70.8

-35.02%

Eggs

$3.34 PGK 14.55

$2.21 ฿72.3

51.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.71 PGK 24.90

$3.63 ฿119

57.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.14 PGK 35.49

$13.53 ฿442

-39.84%

Apples (1kg)

$5.15 PGK 22.48

$3.28 ฿107

57.01%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 PGK 10.39

$1.61 ฿52.6

47.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.99 PGK 4.31

$2.41 ฿78.6

-58.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 PGK 8.61

$2.08 ฿68.1

-5.29%

Potato (1kg)

$4.88 PGK 21.30

$1.53 ฿49.93

218.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 PGK 12.29

$1.48 ฿48.36

90.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$5.91 PGK 25.76

$0.99 ฿32.29

496.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 PGK 2.04

$0.51 ฿16.67

-7.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.08 PGK 22.15

$4.41 ฿144

15.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 PGK 9.31

$1.78 ฿58.1

19.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 PGK 10.75

$2.71 ฿88.6

-8.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 PGK 4.82

$1.36 ฿44.51

-18.38%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

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

$67.8 PGK 296

$122 ฿3,975

-44.26%

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

$13.57 ฿443

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.17 PGK 105

$18.31 ฿598

32.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

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

$78.9 PGK 344

$693 ฿22.6K

-88.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,046 PGK 26.4K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-61.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.45 PGK 84.8

$59.5 ฿1,944

-67.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.56 PGK 63.5

$34.77 ฿1,136

-58.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.1 PGK 288

$115 ฿3,743

-42.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.07 PGK 127

$83.3 ฿2,720

-65.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$957 PGK 4,175

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-54.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$611 PGK 2,664

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-59.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Madang: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Madang versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $224 vs $293 – making Madang 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

Madang vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 141% more than Madang, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $789 per month in Madang and $1,898 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Madang and $45.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Madang, where all-in costs run around $526, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Madang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Madang costs $526 versus $1,265 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Madang. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.