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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,827 per month in Manukau vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,853 per month in Manukau vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,879 per month in Manukau vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Manukau costs about 44% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Manukau sits 36% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.78 NZ$24.95

$4.70 ฿153

214.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.8 NZ$133

$45.37 ฿1,482

73.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.79 NZ$14.84

$8.43 ฿275

4.27%

Cappuccino

$3.43 NZ$5.79

$2.93 ฿95.6

17.06%

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

$1.53 NZ$2.58

$0.69 ฿22.40

121.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 NZ$2.10

$0.37 ฿11.99

235.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.27 NZ$8.89

$2.41 ฿78.6

118.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.42 NZ$9.15

$3.72 ฿122

45.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 NZ$3.09

$2.23 ฿72.9

-17.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 NZ$3.60

$1.83 ฿59.8

16.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 NZ$3.31

$2.17 ฿70.8

-9.68%

Eggs

$4.89 NZ$8.26

$2.21 ฿72.3

121.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.76 NZ$9.72

$19.74 ฿645

-70.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.00 NZ$15.20

$3.63 ฿119

147.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.23 NZ$22.34

$13.53 ฿442

-2.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 NZ$4.86

$3.28 ฿107

-12.20%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 NZ$3.76

$1.61 ฿52.6

38.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.28 NZ$5.53

$2.41 ฿78.6

36.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.12 NZ$6.95

$2.08 ฿68.1

98.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 NZ$1.86

$1.53 ฿49.93

-28.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 NZ$2.76

$1.48 ฿48.36

10.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 NZ$3.23

$0.99 ฿32.29

92.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 NZ$2.10

$0.51 ฿16.67

145.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.38 NZ$42.85

$4.41 ฿144

475.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.32 NZ$8.99

$19.38 ฿633

-72.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.96 NZ$5.00

$1.78 ฿58.1

66.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 NZ$6.44

$2.71 ฿88.6

40.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 NZ$3.96

$1.37 ฿44.79

70.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.9 NZ$108

$11.39 ฿372

461.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 NZ$3.62

$3.02 ฿98.6

-29.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 NZ$3.28

$0.99 ฿32.48

95.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.11 NZ$59.3

$14.10 ฿461

149.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 NZ$2.77

$1.36 ฿44.51

20.59%

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

$27.9K NZ$47.0K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-1.21%

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

$21.8K NZ$36.8K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-33.83%

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

$142 NZ$239

$122 ฿3,975

16.33%

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

$30.14 NZ$50.9

$13.57 ฿443

122.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.43 NZ$83.5

$18.31 ฿598

169.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.47 NZ$71.7

$60.2 ฿1,967

-29.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.10 NZ$20.42

$17.14 ฿560

-29.40%

Cinema Ticket

$14.32 NZ$24.18

$8.69 ฿284

64.79%

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

$897 NZ$1,515

$693 ฿22.6K

29.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K NZ$23.1K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-12.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.17 NZ$81.3

$59.5 ฿1,944

-19.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.39 NZ$81.7

$34.77 ฿1,136

39.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 NZ$170

$115 ฿3,743

-12.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 NZ$207

$83.3 ฿2,720

47.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 NZ$1,652

$613 ฿20.0K

59.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$785 NZ$1,326

$437 ฿14.3K

79.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,599 NZ$2,700

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-23.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,449 NZ$2,446

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-4.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,223 NZ$7,130

$3,749 ฿122.5K

12.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,012 NZ$5,086

$2,616 ฿85.4K

15.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,183 NZ$5,374

$508 ฿16.6K

526.44%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Manukau versus $613 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 526% 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 $45.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $293 in Manukau vs $293 in Phuket – so Manukau wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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: $1,827 in Manukau, $1,265 in Phuket – roughly 44% apart. Manukau costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,741 per month in Manukau and $1,898 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 0% cheaper in Manukau – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Manukau and $45.00 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 $1,265, than in Manukau at $1,827. 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 $1,265 in Phuket to $1,827 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.