Cost of Living Comparison Between Masterton and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Masterton and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $867 in Masterton versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,478 in Masterton versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,089 in Masterton versus $2,876 in Phuket.

Living in Masterton costs roughly 30% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Masterton 37% lower, Phuket 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.94 NZ$17.28

$4.41 ฿147

125.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.8 NZ$116

$32.26 ฿1,073

107.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.59 NZ$14.93

$8.93 ฿297

-3.81%

Cappuccino

$3.30 NZ$5.74

$2.90 ฿96.3

13.79%

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

$2.07 NZ$3.60

$0.88 ฿29.29

135.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 NZ$2.05

$0.48 ฿16.01

145.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.94 NZ$6.85

$2.35 ฿78.2

67.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 NZ$6.14

$3.72 ฿124

-5.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 NZ$2.58

$1.87 ฿62.1

-20.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 NZ$3.91

$1.47 ฿48.78

53.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 NZ$1.86

$1.55 ฿51.6

-30.97%

Eggs

$6.32 NZ$10.98

$2.10 ฿69.9

200.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.78 NZ$15.27

$19.59 ฿652

-55.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.24 NZ$17.80

$3.42 ฿114

199.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.78 NZ$27.44

$11.38 ฿379

38.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.36 NZ$4.10

$2.98 ฿99.3

-20.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 NZ$3.11

$1.68 ฿56.1

6.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.16 NZ$5.50

$2.21 ฿73.5

42.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.70 NZ$8.16

$2.16 ฿71.9

117.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 NZ$2.69

$1.52 ฿50.7

1.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 NZ$2.01

$1.34 ฿44.52

-13.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 NZ$3.09

$1.13 ฿37.55

57.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 NZ$0.87

$0.55 ฿18.18

-9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.84 NZ$34.50

$4.26 ฿142

365.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.37 NZ$19.77

$19.09 ฿635

-40.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 NZ$1.56

$1.78 ฿59.2

-49.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.19 NZ$2.07

$2.78 ฿92.6

-57.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 NZ$4.10

$2.23 ฿74.2

5.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿756

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.87 NZ$3.25

$3.03 ฿101

-38.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.81 NZ$3.15

$1.02 ฿34.04

77.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.33 NZ$59.7

$3.89 ฿129

782.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.74 NZ$3.02

$1.49 ฿49.60

16.78%

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

$23.4K NZ$40.7K

$26.6K ฿884.4K

-11.87%

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

$25.5K NZ$44.3K

$27.0K ฿899.3K

-5.81%

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

$57.7 NZ$100

$102 ฿3,409

-43.66%

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

$31.00 NZ$53.9

$11.33 ฿377

173.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.6 NZ$94.9

$17.40 ฿579

213.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.22 NZ$75.1

$52.1 ฿1,733

-17.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.33 NZ$14.48

$11.07 ฿368

-24.75%

Cinema Ticket

$9.70 NZ$16.86

$7.69 ฿256

26.14%

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

$1,069 NZ$1,859

$561 ฿18.7K

90.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K NZ$23.1K

$11.5K ฿382.8K

15.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 NZ$99.1

$63.0 ฿2,097

-9.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.98 NZ$50.4

$29.52 ฿982

-1.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 NZ$182

$98.0 ฿3,261

6.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 NZ$247

$88.5 ฿2,944

60.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,032 NZ$1,795

$2,107 ฿70.1K

-51.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,429 NZ$4,224

$494 ฿16.4K

392.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

5.57

-3.23%

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

Last update for Masterton: September 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Masterton pays 392% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $67.0 in Masterton vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 vs $274 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

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

Masterton vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Masterton is cheaper overall, especially in Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 42% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 392% higher in Masterton, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Shoppers in Phuket pay roughly 10% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $867 per month in Masterton versus $1,232 in Phuket – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $867 in Masterton versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Masterton but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Masterton the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Masterton is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Masterton and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Masterton gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.