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: $611 in Mataram versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $985 in Mataram versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,360 in Mataram versus $2,876 in Phuket.

Living in Mataram costs roughly 50% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mataram 55% lower, Phuket 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$0.95 Rp 16.9K

$4.41 ฿147

-78.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.19 Rp 162.8K

$32.26 ฿1,077

-71.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.31 Rp 58.6K

$8.93 ฿298

-62.93%

Cappuccino

$1.58 Rp 28.0K

$2.90 ฿96.6

-45.52%

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

$0.42 Rp 7,461

$0.88 ฿29.38

-52.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 Rp 5,866

$0.48 ฿16.06

-31.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

$2.35 ฿78.5

13.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 Rp 59.8K

$3.72 ฿124

-9.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 Rp 24.0K

$1.87 ฿62.3

-27.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 Rp 27.7K

$1.47 ฿48.94

6.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.84 Rp 14.8K

$1.55 ฿51.8

-45.81%

Eggs

$1.51 Rp 26.8K

$2.10 ฿70.1

-28.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.95 Rp 140.8K

$19.59 ฿654

-59.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.05 Rp 54.0K

$3.42 ฿114

-10.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.01 Rp 141.8K

$11.38 ฿380

-29.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 Rp 37.0K

$2.98 ฿99.6

-29.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 Rp 23.9K

$1.68 ฿56.2

-19.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 Rp 31.4K

$2.21 ฿73.7

-19.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 Rp 22.1K

$2.16 ฿72.1

-42.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 Rp 23.4K

$1.52 ฿50.9

-13.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 Rp 30.1K

$1.34 ฿44.67

26.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$1.13 ฿37.67

-31.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 Rp 7,385

$0.55 ฿18.24

-23.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.67 Rp 47.2K

$4.26 ฿142

-37.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.74 Rp 367.2K

$19.09 ฿637

8.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

$1.78 ฿59.4

7.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 Rp 47.7K

$2.78 ฿92.9

-2.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 Rp 5,673

$2.23 ฿74.4

-85.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,601

$3.03 ฿101

-83.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 Rp 5,886

$1.02 ฿34.15

-67.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 Rp 55.3K

$3.89 ฿130

-19.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.62 Rp 11.0K

$1.49 ฿49.77

-58.39%

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

$22.6K Rp 400.1M

$26.6K ฿887.3K

-15.00%

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

$35.7K Rp 632.0M

$27.0K ฿902.2K

32.05%

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

$75.6 Rp 1.3M

$102 ฿3,420

-26.22%

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

$4.06 Rp 71.9K

$11.33 ฿378

-64.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.22 Rp 340.4K

$17.40 ฿581

10.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.32 Rp 359.8K

$52.1 ฿1,738

-60.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.23 Rp 128.1K

$11.07 ฿370

-34.69%

Cinema Ticket

$2.90 Rp 51.4K

$7.69 ฿257

-62.29%

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

$106 Rp 1.9M

$561 ฿18.7K

-81.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,960 Rp 158.7M

$11.5K ฿384.1K

-22.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.12 Rp 816.6K

$63.0 ฿2,104

-26.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.40 Rp 520.6K

$29.52 ฿986

-0.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.7 Rp 1.3M

$98.0 ฿3,272

-25.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.1 Rp 1.3M

$88.5 ฿2,954

-17.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$231 Rp 4.1M

$738 ฿24.6K

-68.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$137 Rp 2.4M

$482 ฿16.1K

-71.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$641 Rp 11.3M

$2,107 ฿70.3K

-69.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 Rp 6.6M

$1,226 ฿40.9K

-69.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,312 Rp 23.2M

$3,617 ฿120.7K

-63.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$668 Rp 11.8M

$2,603 ฿86.9K

-74.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$227 Rp 4.0M

$494 ฿16.5K

-54.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.46

5.57

69.84%

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

Last update for Mataram: September 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $231 in Mataram and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 118% 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: $9.00 in Mataram vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $274 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 102% in total monthly costs ($611 vs $1,232 including rent). Mataram is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 118% lower in Phuket. 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: $231 in Mataram versus $738 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 33% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $611 per month in Mataram versus $1,232 in Phuket – a 102% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $611 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 102% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.