Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mudgee and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,278 a month against $2,667 in Mudgee, rent and utilities included – about $16,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Mudgee, Australia
Phuket, Thailand
Mudgee
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,667
/mo nomad
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mudgee and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mudgee and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,667 in Mudgee versus $1,278 in Phuket.

  • Mudgee $2,667
  • Phuket $1,278

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,586 in Mudgee versus $2,216 in Phuket.

  • Mudgee $3,586
  • Phuket $2,216

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,505 in Mudgee versus $3,154 in Phuket.

  • Mudgee $4,505
  • Phuket $3,154

Living in Mudgee is roughly 109% more expensive than in Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mudgee is 96% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mudgee
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.96 A$24.09
$4.47 ฿151
279.42%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$83.9 A$119
$32.41 ฿1,094
158.72%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.39 A$13.34
$8.81 ฿297
6.58%
Cappuccino
$3.58 A$5.08
$2.83 ฿95.5
26.50%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.44 A$3.46
$0.87 ฿29.43
180.46%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.08 A$2.96
$0.49 ฿16.67
324.49%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.11 A$10.11
$2.56 ฿86.4
177.73%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.12 A$10.12
$3.68 ฿124
93.48%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mudgee
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 A$1.64
$1.66 ฿56.0
-30.12%
White Bread (500g)
$2.86 A$4.07
$1.46 ฿49.35
95.89%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.11 A$3.00
$1.50 ฿50.6
40.67%
Eggs
$4.00 A$5.68
$2.09 ฿70.5
91.39%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.60 A$12.21
$19.07 ฿644
-54.90%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.39 A$10.50
$3.30 ฿111
123.94%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.61 A$12.23
$10.91 ฿368
-21.08%
Apples (1kg)
$2.95 A$4.19
$2.93 ฿99.0
0.68%
Banana (1kg)
$2.48 A$3.53
$1.69 ฿57.1
46.75%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.35 A$4.76
$2.25 ฿75.8
48.89%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.09 A$5.82
$2.08 ฿70.1
96.63%
Potato (1kg)
$2.32 A$3.30
$1.51 ฿51.0
53.64%
Onion (1kg)
$2.56 A$3.64
$1.38 ฿46.56
85.51%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.60 A$3.70
$1.07 ฿35.99
142.99%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 A$2.59
$0.52 ฿17.52
250.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$45.13 A$64.1
$4.20 ฿142
974.52%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.14 A$20.09
$18.79 ฿634
-24.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.50 A$6.39
$1.82 ฿61.5
147.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.11 A$5.84
$2.84 ฿95.9
44.72%
🚌 Getting Around
Mudgee
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.64 A$3.75
$1.45 ฿49.03
82.07%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$74.3 A$106
$56.7 ฿1,913
31.19%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.55 A$5.04
$3.02 ฿102
17.55%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.62 A$2.29
$1.02 ฿34.36
58.82%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$44.92 A$63.8
$3.69 ฿125
1117.34%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 A$1.87
$1.47 ฿49.81
-10.88%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.9K A$41.1K
$26.8K ฿904.3K
7.92%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.4K A$34.6K
$26.7K ฿901.3K
-8.64%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mudgee
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$235 A$334
$96.4 ฿3,254
143.83%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$32.19 A$45.74
$11.26 ฿380
185.88%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$50.6 A$71.9
$16.85 ฿569
200.36%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mudgee
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.2 A$81.2
$67.2 ฿2,270
-14.99%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.99 A$24.14
$10.73 ฿362
58.34%
Cinema Ticket
$13.36 A$18.98
$7.50 ฿253
78.13%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mudgee
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,201 A$3,128
$476 ฿16.1K
362.56%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$19.3K A$27.5K
$11.3K ฿380.4K
71.72%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mudgee
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$69.9 A$99.3
$62.4 ฿2,106
12.06%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$63.2 A$89.8
$28.41 ฿959
122.35%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$142 A$202
$94.3 ฿3,184
50.95%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$111 A$158
$85.8 ฿2,898
29.45%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mudgee
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,530 A$2,175
$716 ฿24.2K
113.79%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,400 A$1,989
$491 ฿16.6K
185.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,409 A$3,423
$1,927 ฿65.1K
25.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,704 A$2,422
$1,431 ฿48.3K
19.14%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,701 A$9,522
$4,175 ฿141.0K
60.50%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,720 A$6,707
$3,045 ฿102.8K
55.03%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mudgee
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,594 A$7,949
$502 ฿17.0K
1013.80%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5
5.57
-10.23%

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

Last update for Mudgee: October 25, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mudgee
$1.4K
Phuket
$491 64.9% $909
Groceries & Markets
Mudgee
$320
Phuket
$266 16.8% $54
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mudgee
$318
Phuket
$124 60.8% $193
Eating Out
Mudgee
$275
Phuket
$122 55.7% $153
Clothing & Footwear
Mudgee
$174
Phuket
$122 29.9% $52
Getting Around
Mudgee
$97
Phuket
$71 26.9% $26
Sport & Entertainment
Mudgee
$84
Phuket
$82 2% $1.6

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,530 in Mudgee and $716 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mudgee pays about 11 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $84 in Mudgee vs $32 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $266 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Mudgee
🇹🇭 Phuket
🕒 Local time
05:39 5:39 AM
01:39 1:39 AM
4 h behind Mudgee
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
11,563
79,308
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 1.42 AUD (1 AUD = 0.704 USD). 1 EUR = 1.58 AUD (1 AUD = 0.632 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mudgee Phuket 7,040 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Mudgee
  • Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Mudgee vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Mudgee or Phuket?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 52% lower than in Mudgee. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Mudgee or in Phuket?
Average pay in Mudgee is about 11 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Mudgee compared to Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,530 in Mudgee versus $716 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Mudgee compared to Phuket?
All in, you’ll spend $2,667 per month in Mudgee versus $1,278 in Phuket – a 109% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Mudgee compared to Phuket?
A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 24% less than in Mudgee. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Mudgee or in Phuket?
At $1,278 in Phuket versus $2,667 in Mudgee, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Mudgee. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Mudgee or Phuket?
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.
How safe is Mudgee compared to Phuket?
Safety-wise, Mudgee 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 52% less than in Mudgee. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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