Cost of Living Comparison Between Newcastle and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Newcastle and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $975 per month in Newcastle vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,511 per month in Newcastle vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,048 per month in Newcastle vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

Newcastle is about 22% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Newcastle and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Newcastle 27% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.37 R 139

$4.55 ฿153

83.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.22 R 567

$46.18 ฿1,554

-25.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.73 R 78.4

$8.84 ฿298

-46.49%

Cappuccino

$2.01 R 33.32

$3.06 ฿103

-34.31%

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

$1.02 R 16.82

$0.73 ฿24.42

39.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 R 14.62

$0.40 ฿13.40

120.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 R 37.53

$2.43 ฿81.8

-6.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 R 46.87

$3.78 ฿127

-25.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 R 19.31

$2.26 ฿76.0

-48.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 R 16.96

$1.81 ฿60.9

-43.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 R 20.28

$2.25 ฿75.8

-45.78%

Eggs

$1.73 R 28.61

$2.25 ฿75.6

-23.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.27 R 104

$19.51 ฿656

-67.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.44 R 73.5

$3.65 ฿123

21.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.55 R 108

$13.05 ฿439

-49.81%

Apples (1kg)

$0.85 R 14.03

$3.23 ฿109

-73.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 R 16.73

$1.62 ฿54.4

-37.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.94 R 15.60

$2.38 ฿80.2

-60.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 R 20.59

$2.03 ฿68.2

-38.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 R 15.91

$1.53 ฿51.6

-37.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 R 19.17

$1.50 ฿50.5

-22.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 R 11.22

$0.98 ฿32.93

-30.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 R 8.84

$0.52 ฿17.40

1.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.73 R 45.14

$4.44 ฿149

-38.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.09 R 51.1

$18.32 ฿616

-83.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 R 22.16

$1.86 ฿62.7

-27.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 R 14.34

$2.68 ฿90.2

-67.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.62 R 26.84

$1.41 ฿47.49

14.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 R 22.60

$3.11 ฿105

-55.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 R 22.87

$1.04 ฿35.08

32.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 R 49.50

$14.11 ฿475

-78.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 R 20.72

$1.31 ฿44.13

-4.58%

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

$19.1K R 316.0K

$27.8K ฿936.0K

-31.38%

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

$26.5K R 438.2K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-20.31%

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

$125 R 2,074

$122 ฿4,120

2.30%

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

$37.09 R 614

$13.59 ฿457

172.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.87 R 643

$18.70 ฿629

107.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.98 R 513

$60.5 ฿2,035

-48.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

Cinema Ticket

$7.76 R 128

$9.07 ฿305

-14.44%

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

$194 R 3,206

$706 ฿23.8K

-72.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,291 R 71.0K

$15.8K ฿531.8K

-72.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.2 R 832

$58.6 ฿1,970

-14.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.60 R 523

$35.36 ฿1,190

-10.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.5 R 1,432

$115 ฿3,885

-25.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.8 R 1,453

$83.7 ฿2,818

4.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$366 R 6,059

$626 ฿21.1K

-41.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$337 R 5,586

$445 ฿15.0K

-24.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$685 R 11.3K

$2,040 ฿68.7K

-66.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$705 R 11.7K

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-52.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$876 R 14.5K

$3,483 ฿117.2K

-74.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$608 R 10.1K

$2,577 ฿86.7K

-76.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.69

5.33

119.32%

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

Last update for Newcastle: July 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $366 in Newcastle versus $626 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Newcastle versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $144 vs $289 – making Newcastle 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

Newcastle vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $975 in Newcastle, $1,250 in Phuket – roughly 28% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,463 per month in Newcastle and $1,875 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Newcastle, 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 $975 in Newcastle and $1,250 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $194 per month in Newcastle and $706 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Newcastle, where all-in costs run around $975, than in Phuket at $1,250. In Newcastle it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket 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 $975 in Newcastle to $1,250 in Phuket. 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 Newcastle. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.