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 $531 per month in Madang vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,183 per month in Madang vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,834 per month in Madang vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

Madang is about 57% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Madang and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Madang 60% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.81 PGK 29.94

$4.55 ฿153

49.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.42 PGK 169

$46.18 ฿1,554

-16.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.63 PGK 46.75

$8.84 ฿298

20.25%

Cappuccino

$2.46 PGK 10.83

$3.06 ฿103

-19.61%

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

$1.19 PGK 5.22

$0.73 ฿24.42

63.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 PGK 3.33

$0.40 ฿13.40

90.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 PGK 12.87

$2.43 ฿81.8

20.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 PGK 19.20

$3.78 ฿127

15.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 PGK 8.65

$2.26 ฿76.0

-12.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 PGK 6.46

$1.81 ฿60.9

-18.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 PGK 6.20

$2.25 ฿75.8

-37.33%

Eggs

$3.40 PGK 14.97

$2.25 ฿75.6

51.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.60 PGK 24.65

$3.65 ฿123

53.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.37 PGK 36.84

$13.05 ฿439

-35.86%

Apples (1kg)

$5.23 PGK 23.01

$3.23 ฿109

61.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.43 PGK 10.70

$1.62 ฿54.4

50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.00 PGK 4.39

$2.38 ฿80.2

-57.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.89 PGK 8.30

$2.03 ฿68.2

-6.90%

Potato (1kg)

$4.78 PGK 21.03

$1.53 ฿51.6

212.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 PGK 12.95

$1.50 ฿50.5

96.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$5.96 PGK 26.23

$0.98 ฿32.93

508.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 PGK 2.21

$0.52 ฿17.40

-3.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.17 PGK 22.75

$4.44 ฿149

16.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 PGK 9.27

$1.86 ฿62.7

13.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 PGK 10.46

$2.68 ฿90.2

-11.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.08

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿475

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 PGK 4.70

$1.31 ฿44.13

-18.32%

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

$27.8K ฿936.0K

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

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

$68.4 PGK 301

$122 ฿4,120

-44.14%

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

$13.59 ฿457

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.39 PGK 107

$18.70 ฿629

30.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,035

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

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

$80.1 PGK 352

$706 ฿23.8K

-88.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,952 PGK 26.2K

$15.8K ฿531.8K

-62.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.02 PGK 83.7

$58.6 ฿1,970

-67.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.14 PGK 62.2

$35.36 ฿1,190

-60.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.2 PGK 296

$115 ฿3,885

-41.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.64 PGK 126

$83.7 ฿2,818

-65.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$942 PGK 4,146

$2,040 ฿68.7K

-53.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 PGK 2,657

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-59.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Madang versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $226 vs $289 – 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 135% 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 $797 per month in Madang and $1,875 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 $46.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 28% 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 $531, than in Phuket at $1,250. 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 $531 versus $1,250 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.