Cost of Living Comparison Between Manukau and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Manukau and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,871 per month in Manukau vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,858 per month in Manukau vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,844 per month in Manukau vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

Manukau costs about 50% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Manukau sits 40% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.34 NZ$26.26

$4.55 ฿153

237.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.2 NZ$136

$46.18 ฿1,554

71.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.30 NZ$15.91

$8.84 ฿298

5.20%

Cappuccino

$3.50 NZ$5.99

$3.06 ฿103

14.38%

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

$1.50 NZ$2.56

$0.73 ฿24.42

105.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.20 NZ$2.05

$0.40 ฿13.40

200.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.08 NZ$8.69

$2.43 ฿81.8

109.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.36 NZ$9.18

$3.78 ฿127

41.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 NZ$2.96

$2.26 ฿76.0

-23.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 NZ$3.59

$1.81 ฿60.9

15.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 NZ$3.44

$2.25 ฿75.8

-10.67%

Eggs

$4.96 NZ$8.49

$2.25 ฿75.6

120.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.79 NZ$9.92

$19.51 ฿656

-70.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.02 NZ$15.44

$3.65 ฿123

147.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.03 NZ$22.31

$13.05 ฿439

-0.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.79 NZ$4.78

$3.23 ฿109

-13.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 NZ$3.93

$1.62 ฿54.4

41.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.38 NZ$5.78

$2.38 ฿80.2

42.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.06 NZ$6.95

$2.03 ฿68.2

100.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 NZ$1.87

$1.53 ฿51.6

-28.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 NZ$2.93

$1.50 ฿50.5

14.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 NZ$3.34

$0.98 ฿32.93

98.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 NZ$2.18

$0.52 ฿17.40

144.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.81 NZ$44.18

$4.44 ฿149

481.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.10 NZ$8.74

$18.32 ฿616

-72.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 NZ$5.04

$1.86 ฿62.7

58.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 NZ$6.82

$2.68 ฿90.2

48.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 NZ$4.19

$1.41 ฿47.49

73.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.2 NZ$108

$11.70 ฿394

440.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.15 NZ$3.67

$3.11 ฿105

-30.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 NZ$3.32

$1.04 ฿35.08

86.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.28 NZ$60.4

$14.11 ฿475

150.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 NZ$2.90

$1.31 ฿44.13

29.01%

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

$28.9K NZ$49.4K

$27.8K ฿936.0K

3.78%

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

$21.9K NZ$37.6K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-33.93%

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

$142 NZ$242

$122 ฿4,120

15.62%

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

$30.15 NZ$51.6

$13.59 ฿457

121.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.33 NZ$82.8

$18.70 ฿629

158.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.96 NZ$73.6

$60.5 ฿2,035

-28.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.14 NZ$20.78

$16.98 ฿572

-28.50%

Cinema Ticket

$14.35 NZ$24.57

$9.07 ฿305

58.21%

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

$918 NZ$1,572

$706 ฿23.8K

30.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.6K NZ$23.4K

$15.8K ฿531.8K

-13.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.63 NZ$83.3

$58.6 ฿1,970

-16.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.97 NZ$83.8

$35.36 ฿1,190

38.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 NZ$169

$115 ฿3,885

-14.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 NZ$211

$83.7 ฿2,818

47.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$957 NZ$1,638

$626 ฿21.1K

52.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$788 NZ$1,349

$445 ฿15.0K

77.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,568 NZ$2,684

$2,040 ฿68.7K

-23.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,450 NZ$2,483

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-2.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,110 NZ$8,749

$3,483 ฿117.2K

46.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,376 NZ$5,780

$2,577 ฿86.7K

31.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,087 NZ$3,574

$500 ฿16.8K

317.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.37

5.33

19.51%

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

Last update for Manukau: July 11, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $957 in Manukau versus $626 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 318% higher in Manukau, 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 $79.0 in Manukau versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $289 – 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

Manukau vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,871 in Manukau, $1,250 in Phuket – roughly 50% apart. Manukau costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,807 per month in Manukau and $1,875 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 1% more in Manukau, 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 $79.0 in Manukau 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 $1,250, than in Manukau at $1,871. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manukau 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 $1,250 in Phuket to $1,871 in Manukau. 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, Manukau makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.