Cost of Living Comparison Between New Plymouth and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between New Plymouth and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,954 in New Plymouth versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,039 in New Plymouth versus $2,089 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,123 in New Plymouth versus $2,913 in Phuket.

Living in New Plymouth is roughly 54% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: New Plymouth is 42% above, Phuket is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.90 NZ$25.33

$4.66 ฿153

219.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 NZ$119

$32.22 ฿1,057

117.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 NZ$17.71

$8.68 ฿285

20.05%

Cappuccino

$3.51 NZ$5.97

$2.90 ฿95.1

21.03%

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

$2.24 NZ$3.81

$0.84 ฿27.69

166.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 NZ$3.28

$0.49 ฿16.05

293.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.33 NZ$9.07

$2.48 ฿81.5

114.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.00 NZ$10.20

$3.73 ฿122

60.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 NZ$3.19

$1.89 ฿61.9

-0.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 NZ$2.82

$1.41 ฿46.21

17.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 NZ$2.94

$1.62 ฿53.2

6.79%

Eggs

$6.77 NZ$11.51

$2.24 ฿73.5

202.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.41 NZ$12.59

$19.84 ฿651

-62.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.89 NZ$21.91

$3.48 ฿114

270.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 NZ$20.75

$11.37 ฿373

7.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 NZ$4.62

$2.90 ฿95.1

-6.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 NZ$3.36

$1.72 ฿56.6

15.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.21 NZ$5.46

$2.27 ฿74.6

41.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.60 NZ$11.23

$2.13 ฿70.0

209.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 NZ$4.31

$1.47 ฿48.38

72.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 NZ$2.50

$1.42 ฿46.59

3.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 NZ$3.32

$1.10 ฿36.00

77.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 NZ$2.25

$0.60 ฿19.62

120.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.53 NZ$39.99

$4.31 ฿141

445.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.57 NZ$14.57

$18.60 ฿610

-53.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.08 NZ$5.24

$1.80 ฿59.1

71.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 NZ$6.71

$2.97 ฿97.3

33.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.78 NZ$3.03

$2.25 ฿73.7

-20.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.5 NZ$132

$23.49 ฿771

229.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.31

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿127

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 NZ$2.99

$1.43 ฿46.83

23.08%

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

$46.3K NZ$78.7K

$27.8K ฿911.7K

66.72%

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

$24.9K NZ$42.3K

$27.0K ฿885.3K

-7.72%

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

$131 NZ$223

$105 ฿3,438

25.10%

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

$29.98 NZ$51.0

$11.39 ฿374

163.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.00 NZ$83.3

$17.54 ฿576

179.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.22 NZ$75.2

$54.3 ฿1,783

-18.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿375

Cinema Ticket

$8.56 NZ$14.56

$7.78 ฿255

10.03%

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

$576 ฿18.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿380.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.9 NZ$148

$63.6 ฿2,088

36.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿955

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.9 NZ$158

$96.2 ฿3,157

-3.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 NZ$200

$90.0 ฿2,953

30.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 NZ$1,609

$733 ฿24.1K

29.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$868 NZ$1,475

$501 ฿16.4K

73.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,800 NZ$3,060

$2,126 ฿69.7K

-15.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,640 NZ$2,788

$1,252 ฿41.1K

30.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,393 NZ$5,767

$3,534 ฿115.9K

-3.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,739 NZ$4,655

$2,622 ฿86.0K

4.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,889 NZ$4,911

$508 ฿16.7K

469.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.93

5.57

6.46%

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

Last update for New Plymouth: September 7, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in New Plymouth and $733 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

New Plymouth pays 469% 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: $70.0 in New Plymouth vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $339 vs $275 per month, with Phuket 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

New Plymouth vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New Plymouth and Phuket differ by about 54% in total monthly costs ($1,954 vs $1,265 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 469% higher in New Plymouth, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $947 in New Plymouth versus $733 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $70.0 in New Plymouth. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 230% less than in New Plymouth. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,954 in New Plymouth, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in New Plymouth. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket 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, New Plymouth 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 54% less than in New Plymouth. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.