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: $1,485 in Masterton versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,448 in Masterton versus $2,255 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,411 in Masterton versus $3,279 in Phuket.

Living in Masterton is roughly 21% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Masterton is 11% above, Phuket is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.82 NZ$16.69

$4.63 ฿151

112.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.0 NZ$153

$46.84 ฿1,523

92.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.28 NZ$15.77

$8.84 ฿287

4.98%

Cappuccino

$3.15 NZ$5.35

$3.00 ฿97.4

5.00%

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

$2.08 NZ$3.53

$0.74 ฿24.11

181.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 NZ$2.81

$0.37 ฿11.88

348.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 NZ$6.31

$2.44 ฿79.3

52.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.31 NZ$7.33

$3.61 ฿117

19.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 NZ$2.53

$2.26 ฿73.5

-34.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.69 NZ$2.87

$1.84 ฿59.8

-8.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 NZ$1.98

$2.24 ฿73.0

-48.21%

Eggs

$6.00 NZ$10.20

$2.32 ฿75.3

158.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.33 NZ$12.47

$19.67 ฿639

-62.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.43 NZ$16.02

$3.65 ฿119

158.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 NZ$20.64

$13.10 ฿426

-7.33%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 NZ$3.16

$3.39 ฿110

-45.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 NZ$3.16

$1.64 ฿53.4

13.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.56 NZ$4.36

$2.41 ฿78.5

6.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.33 NZ$5.67

$2.03 ฿66.0

64.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 NZ$2.47

$1.56 ฿50.6

-7.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 NZ$2.00

$1.50 ฿48.66

-21.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 NZ$3.01

$1.02 ฿33.30

73.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 NZ$1.54

$0.49 ฿15.91

83.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.04 NZ$34.06

$4.45 ฿145

350.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.74 NZ$18.26

$18.88 ฿614

-43.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.32 NZ$3.94

$1.78 ฿57.7

30.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 NZ$4.40

$2.75 ฿89.5

-5.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 NZ$4.01

$1.40 ฿45.54

68.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.0 NZ$109

$11.48 ฿373

457.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 NZ$4.04

$3.12 ฿101

-24.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 NZ$3.03

$1.00 ฿32.48

78.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.81 NZ$69.4

$14.09 ฿458

189.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.68 NZ$2.86

$1.35 ฿43.93

24.44%

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

$24.1K NZ$41.0K

$27.2K ฿883.7K

-11.20%

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

$23.4K NZ$39.7K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-29.02%

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

$79.5 NZ$135

$125 ฿4,063

-36.38%

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

$31.57 NZ$53.7

$13.57 ฿441

132.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.75 NZ$82.9

$18.52 ฿602

163.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.52 NZ$68.9

$61.5 ฿1,999

-34.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.89 NZ$15.12

$16.84 ฿547

-47.21%

Cinema Ticket

$8.13 NZ$13.81

$9.19 ฿299

-11.53%

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

$397 NZ$675

$698 ฿22.7K

-43.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,896 NZ$8,323

$15.6K ฿506.9K

-68.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.2 NZ$119

$57.8 ฿1,878

21.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.07 NZ$51.1

$35.24 ฿1,146

-14.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 NZ$177

$113 ฿3,677

-7.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 NZ$193

$86.4 ฿2,808

31.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$785 NZ$1,334

$616 ฿20.0K

27.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$612 NZ$1,040

$446 ฿14.5K

37.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,269 NZ$2,157

$2,048 ฿66.6K

-38.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,072 NZ$1,822

$1,492 ฿48.5K

-28.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿122.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,456 NZ$4,176

$524 ฿17.0K

368.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.69

5.33

25.52%

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

Last update for Masterton: April 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $785 in Masterton and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Masterton pays 369% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $90.0 in Masterton vs $47.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $276 vs $292, with Masterton cheaper for home cooking.

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

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Masterton pays 369% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $785 in Masterton versus $616 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $90.0 in Masterton. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,485 per month in Masterton versus $1,232 in Phuket – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,485 in Masterton, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Masterton. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Masterton, 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Masterton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.