Cost of Living Comparison Between Muswellbrook and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Muswellbrook and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,588 per month in Muswellbrook vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,682 per month in Muswellbrook vs $2,089 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,777 per month in Muswellbrook vs $2,913 in Phuket, rent included.

Muswellbrook costs about 105% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Muswellbrook sits 88% above the global median, while Phuket is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.41 A$24.27

$4.66 ฿154

273.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.7 A$121

$32.22 ฿1,065

169.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.71 A$14.94

$8.68 ฿287

23.39%

Cappuccino

$3.67 A$5.11

$2.90 ฿95.8

26.55%

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

$2.80 A$3.91

$0.84 ฿27.89

233.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 A$3.28

$0.49 ฿16.16

379.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.12 A$9.92

$2.48 ฿82.0

187.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.00 A$9.76

$3.73 ฿123

87.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 A$1.69

$1.89 ฿62.3

-35.98%

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 A$4.02

$1.41 ฿46.54

104.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 A$3.06

$1.62 ฿53.6

35.19%

Eggs

$4.19 A$5.84

$2.24 ฿74.1

87.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.91 A$15.22

$19.84 ฿656

-45.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.86 A$13.74

$3.48 ฿115

183.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.29 A$22.71

$11.37 ฿376

43.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.12 A$4.35

$2.90 ฿95.8

7.59%

Banana (1kg)

$2.56 A$3.56

$1.72 ฿57.0

48.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.94 A$4.10

$2.27 ฿75.1

29.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.67 A$6.51

$2.13 ฿70.4

119.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.47 A$3.45

$1.47 ฿48.72

68.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.57 A$3.58

$1.42 ฿46.92

80.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.92 A$4.07

$1.10 ฿36.25

165.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 A$2.45

$0.60 ฿19.76

191.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$42.31 A$59.0

$4.31 ฿142

881.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.13 A$19.70

$18.60 ฿615

-24.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.49 A$6.26

$1.80 ฿59.5

149.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.77 A$6.64

$2.97 ฿98.0

60.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.09 A$4.31

$2.25 ฿74.2

37.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.7 A$120

$23.49 ฿776

264.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.68 A$5.13

$3.10 ฿102

18.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 A$2.31

$1.08 ฿35.56

53.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.98 A$57.1

$3.87 ฿128

958.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 A$1.85

$1.43 ฿47.16

-7.69%

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

$39.4K A$54.9K

$27.8K ฿918.0K

41.65%

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

$24.8K A$34.6K

$27.0K ฿891.5K

-7.94%

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

$144 A$201

$105 ฿3,462

37.22%

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

$28.64 A$39.93

$11.39 ฿376

151.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.1 A$72.7

$17.54 ฿580

197.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 A$80.2

$54.3 ฿1,795

5.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.66 A$26.02

$11.44 ฿378

63.11%

Cinema Ticket

$13.44 A$18.74

$7.78 ฿257

72.75%

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

$2,203 A$3,072

$576 ฿19.0K

282.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.8K A$29.0K

$11.6K ฿382.7K

79.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.8 A$102

$63.6 ฿2,103

14.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.6 A$87.2

$29.10 ฿961

114.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$145 A$203

$96.2 ฿3,179

50.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 A$154

$90.0 ฿2,974

22.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,489 A$2,075

$733 ฿24.2K

103.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 A$1,819

$501 ฿16.5K

160.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,271 A$3,166

$2,126 ฿70.2K

6.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,878 A$2,618

$1,252 ฿41.4K

49.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,667 A$9,295

$3,534 ฿116.8K

88.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,168 A$7,205

$2,622 ฿86.6K

97.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,444 A$8,984

$508 ฿16.8K

1169.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.23

5.57

-6.10%

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

Last update for Muswellbrook: September 6, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,489 in Muswellbrook versus $733 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 1170% higher in Muswellbrook, 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 $87.0 in Muswellbrook versus $32.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $369 vs $275 – 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

Muswellbrook vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,588 in Muswellbrook, $1,265 in Phuket – roughly 105% apart. Muswellbrook costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,883 per month in Muswellbrook and $1,898 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,588 in Muswellbrook and $1,265 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 265% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Muswellbrook at $2,588. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Muswellbrook it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,265 in Phuket to $2,588 in Muswellbrook. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Muswellbrook makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.