Cost of Living Comparison Between Mataram and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Mataram and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $577 in Mataram versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $888 in Mataram versus $2,255 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,200 in Mataram versus $3,279 in Phuket.

Living in Mataram costs roughly 53% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mataram 57% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.05 Rp 18.2K

$4.63 ฿151

-77.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.02 Rp 190.2K

$46.84 ฿1,523

-76.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.25 Rp 38.8K

$8.84 ฿287

-74.55%

Cappuccino

$1.87 Rp 32.3K

$3.00 ฿97.4

-37.67%

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

$0.55 Rp 9,492

$0.74 ฿24.11

-25.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 Rp 6,219

$0.37 ฿11.88

-2.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 Rp 45.4K

$2.44 ฿79.3

7.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 Rp 65.3K

$3.61 ฿117

4.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 Rp 26.9K

$2.26 ฿73.5

-30.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.68 Rp 29.0K

$1.84 ฿59.8

-8.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 Rp 14.3K

$2.24 ฿73.0

-62.95%

Eggs

$1.36 Rp 23.5K

$2.32 ฿75.3

-41.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.32 Rp 57.3K

$19.67 ฿639

-83.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.53 Rp 60.9K

$3.65 ฿119

-3.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.29 Rp 108.7K

$13.10 ฿426

-51.98%

Apples (1kg)

$1.70 Rp 29.4K

$3.39 ฿110

-49.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 Rp 20.9K

$1.64 ฿53.4

-26.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 Rp 32.2K

$2.41 ฿78.5

-22.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.79 Rp 13.6K

$2.03 ฿66.0

-61.08%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 Rp 13.7K

$1.56 ฿50.6

-49.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 Rp 32.6K

$1.50 ฿48.66

26.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.47 Rp 8,149

$1.02 ฿33.30

-53.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 Rp 5,422

$0.49 ฿15.91

-36.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.79 Rp 31.0K

$4.45 ฿145

-59.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.27 Rp 281.0K

$18.88 ฿614

-13.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 Rp 42.4K

$1.78 ฿57.7

38.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 Rp 65.6K

$2.75 ฿89.5

38.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 Rp 10.9K

$1.40 ฿45.54

-55.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.37 Rp 317.2K

$11.48 ฿373

60.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,253

$3.12 ฿101

-84.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 Rp 5,005

$1.00 ฿32.48

-71.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 Rp 54.5K

$14.09 ฿458

-77.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 Rp 11.2K

$1.35 ฿43.93

-51.85%

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

$23.4K Rp 404.3M

$27.2K ฿883.7K

-13.86%

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

$28.0K Rp 483.4M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-14.95%

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

$50.2 Rp 866.7K

$125 ฿4,063

-59.83%

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

$4.39 Rp 75.9K

$13.57 ฿441

-67.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.07 Rp 329.3K

$18.52 ฿602

2.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.67 Rp 460.5K

$61.5 ฿1,999

-56.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.66 Rp 132.2K

$16.84 ฿547

-54.51%

Cinema Ticket

$2.10 Rp 36.2K

$9.19 ฿299

-77.15%

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

$90.8 Rp 1.6M

$698 ฿22.7K

-87.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,319 Rp 74.6M

$15.6K ฿506.9K

-72.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.80 Rp 635.4K

$57.8 ฿1,878

-36.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.84 Rp 428.9K

$35.24 ฿1,146

-29.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.1 Rp 1.1M

$113 ฿3,677

-46.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.16 Rp 693.5K

$86.4 ฿2,808

-53.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$76.9 Rp 1.3M

$616 ฿20.0K

-87.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$128 Rp 2.2M

$446 ฿14.5K

-71.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$156 Rp 2.7M

$2,048 ฿66.6K

-92.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 Rp 4.6M

$1,492 ฿48.5K

-82.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,199 Rp 20.7M

$3,779 ฿122.8K

-68.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$783 Rp 13.5M

$2,649 ฿86.1K

-70.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$202 Rp 3.5M

$524 ฿17.0K

-61.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

68.86%

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

Last update for Mataram: April 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $76.9 in Mataram and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 159% 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: $11.00 in Mataram vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $179 vs $292 per month, with Mataram 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

Mataram vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mataram and Phuket differ by about 114% in total monthly costs ($577 vs $1,232 including rent). Mataram is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Phuket earns 159% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $76.9 in Mataram versus $616 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 63% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Mataram – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $577 in Mataram versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mataram but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Mataram the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Mataram 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 Mataram gentler on the wallet – expenses run 114% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.