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: $1,536 in Masterton versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,428 in Masterton versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,320 in Masterton versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Masterton is roughly 22% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Masterton is 14% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.02 NZ$17.11

$4.56 ฿149

119.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.7 NZ$155

$46.63 ฿1,519

94.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.88 NZ$15.16

$8.47 ฿276

4.84%

Cappuccino

$3.29 NZ$5.62

$3.03 ฿98.6

8.58%

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

$2.08 NZ$3.54

$0.69 ฿22.45

201.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 NZ$2.82

$0.37 ฿11.92

345.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.67 NZ$6.27

$2.49 ฿81.0

47.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 NZ$7.33

$3.66 ฿119

17.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 NZ$2.50

$2.18 ฿71.0

-32.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 NZ$2.90

$1.90 ฿62.0

-10.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 NZ$1.96

$2.20 ฿71.6

-47.73%

Eggs

$6.02 NZ$10.28

$2.22 ฿72.4

171.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.18 NZ$12.25

$19.99 ฿651

-64.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 NZ$15.24

$3.66 ฿119

143.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.34 NZ$21.08

$13.25 ฿432

-6.87%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 NZ$3.12

$3.23 ฿105

-43.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 NZ$3.10

$1.70 ฿55.3

7.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.42 NZ$4.13

$2.39 ฿78.0

1.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.44 NZ$5.88

$2.08 ฿67.7

65.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 NZ$2.48

$1.59 ฿51.8

-8.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 NZ$1.98

$1.48 ฿48.31

-21.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 NZ$3.01

$1.03 ฿33.54

70.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 NZ$1.55

$0.52 ฿16.83

75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.98 NZ$34.12

$4.25 ฿138

370.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.81 NZ$20.17

$18.79 ฿612

-37.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 NZ$3.79

$1.76 ฿57.2

26.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 NZ$4.51

$2.76 ฿89.8

-4.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 NZ$4.07

$1.36 ฿44.32

75.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.5 NZ$110

$11.36 ฿370

467.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.43 NZ$4.15

$3.14 ฿102

-22.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 NZ$3.14

$1.04 ฿33.74

76.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.37 NZ$70.7

$13.77 ฿448

200.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 NZ$2.80

$1.34 ฿43.79

22.39%

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

$23.8K NZ$40.6K

$27.7K ฿901.4K

-14.03%

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

$23.2K NZ$39.6K

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-31.57%

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

$79.5 NZ$136

$124 ฿4,025

-35.66%

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

$31.44 NZ$53.7

$13.52 ฿440

132.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.94 NZ$83.6

$18.69 ฿609

161.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.93 NZ$69.9

$61.8 ฿2,013

-33.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.09 NZ$15.52

$17.25 ฿562

-47.30%

Cinema Ticket

$8.05 NZ$13.75

$9.14 ฿298

-11.93%

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

$405 NZ$691

$703 ฿22.9K

-42.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,897 NZ$8,363

$15.9K ฿517.0K

-69.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.5 NZ$117

$59.5 ฿1,937

15.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.21 NZ$51.6

$35.07 ฿1,142

-13.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 NZ$174

$115 ฿3,754

-11.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 NZ$195

$84.1 ฿2,737

35.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$783 NZ$1,337

$619 ฿20.1K

26.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$607 NZ$1,036

$433 ฿14.1K

40.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,261 NZ$2,153

$2,062 ฿67.2K

-38.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 NZ$1,869

$1,511 ฿49.2K

-27.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,481 NZ$4,237

$507 ฿16.5K

389.42%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $783 in Masterton and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Masterton pays 389% 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: $91.0 in Masterton vs $47.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $275 vs $293, 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 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Masterton pays 389% 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: $783 in Masterton versus $619 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 $91.0 in Masterton. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,536 per month in Masterton versus $1,261 in Phuket – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,536 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 22% less than in Masterton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.