Cost of Living Comparison Between Matera and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Matera and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,499 per month in Matera vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,409 per month in Matera vs $2,054 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,318 per month in Matera vs $2,876 in Phuket, rent included.

Matera costs about 22% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Matera sits 10% above the global median, while Phuket is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.66 €13.65

$4.41 ฿147

255.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$32.26 ฿1,077

94.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.48 €10.01

$8.93 ฿298

28.56%

Cappuccino

$1.87 €1.63

$2.90 ฿96.6

-35.52%

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

$2.26 €1.97

$0.88 ฿29.38

156.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 €0.99

$0.48 ฿16.06

135.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.84 €5.10

$2.35 ฿78.5

148.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 €3.10

$3.72 ฿124

-4.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 €1.37

$1.87 ฿62.3

-16.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.47 ฿48.94

19.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.25 €2.83

$1.55 ฿51.8

109.68%

Eggs

$3.81 €3.32

$2.10 ฿70.1

81.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.16 €14.09

$19.59 ฿654

-17.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.87 €11.22

$3.42 ฿114

276.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.46 €18.70

$11.38 ฿380

88.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.51 €2.19

$2.98 ฿99.6

-15.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 €1.80

$1.68 ฿56.2

22.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 €1.03

$2.21 ฿73.7

-46.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.85 €3.36

$2.16 ฿72.1

78.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 €1.57

$1.52 ฿50.9

19.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.34 ฿44.67

27.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.41 €1.23

$1.13 ฿37.67

24.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 €0.42

$0.55 ฿18.24

-12.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.19

$4.26 ฿142

66.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.47 €5.64

$19.09 ฿637

-66.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 €1.67

$1.78 ฿59.4

7.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 €2.70

$2.78 ฿92.9

11.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.69 €1.47

$2.23 ฿74.4

-24.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.76 €18.10

$22.74 ฿759

-8.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.65 €4.05

$3.03 ฿101

53.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 €1.14

$1.02 ฿34.15

28.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.12 €21.02

$3.89 ฿130

520.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.81

$1.49 ฿49.77

39.60%

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

$38.2K €33.3K

$26.6K ฿887.3K

43.73%

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

$36.2K €31.6K

$27.0K ฿902.2K

34.05%

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

$211 €184

$102 ฿3,420

105.46%

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

$9.63 €8.40

$11.33 ฿378

-15.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.43 €28.27

$17.40 ฿581

86.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €50.5

$52.1 ฿1,738

11.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.15 €21.93

$11.07 ฿370

127.19%

Cinema Ticket

$11.52 €10.04

$7.69 ฿257

49.80%

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

$468 €408

$561 ฿18.7K

-16.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,263 €7,203

$11.5K ฿384.1K

-28.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.9 €60.9

$63.0 ฿2,104

10.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 €38.69

$29.52 ฿986

50.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 €96.2

$98.0 ฿3,272

12.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 €113

$88.5 ฿2,954

45.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$740 €645

$738 ฿24.6K

0.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$435 €379

$482 ฿16.1K

-9.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,068 €931

$2,107 ฿70.3K

-49.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$869 €758

$1,226 ฿40.9K

-29.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,804 €2,444

$3,617 ฿120.7K

-22.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,247 €2,830

$2,603 ฿86.9K

24.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,785 €1,556

$494 ฿16.5K

261.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.09

5.57

-44.52%

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

Last update for Matera: September 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $740 in Matera versus $738 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 262% higher in Matera, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Matera versus $32.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $337 vs $274 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Matera vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Matera costs about 22% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,249 per month in Matera and $1,847 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 10% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $468 per month in Matera and $561 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,232, than in Matera at $1,499. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Matera it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,232 versus $1,499 in Matera. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Matera makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.