Cost of Living Comparison Between North Shore and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between North Shore and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,828 in North Shore versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,795 in North Shore versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,762 in North Shore versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in North Shore is roughly 46% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: North Shore is 37% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.21 NZ$26.04

$4.55 ฿153

234.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.3 NZ$136

$46.18 ฿1,554

71.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.54 NZ$14.63

$8.84 ฿298

-3.39%

Cappuccino

$3.48 NZ$5.95

$3.06 ฿103

13.73%

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

$2.10 NZ$3.59

$0.73 ฿24.42

187.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 NZ$3.07

$0.40 ฿13.40

350.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.12 NZ$12.18

$2.43 ฿81.8

193.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.27 NZ$12.44

$3.78 ฿127

92.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 NZ$3.03

$2.26 ฿76.0

-21.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 NZ$2.53

$1.81 ฿60.9

-18.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 NZ$3.49

$2.25 ฿75.8

-9.33%

Eggs

$5.95 NZ$10.18

$2.25 ฿75.6

164.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 NZ$14.06

$19.51 ฿656

-57.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.34 NZ$15.99

$3.65 ฿123

155.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.09 NZ$15.56

$13.05 ฿439

-30.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 NZ$4.66

$3.23 ฿109

-15.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 NZ$3.70

$1.62 ฿54.4

33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.33 NZ$5.70

$2.38 ฿80.2

39.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.16 NZ$7.12

$2.03 ฿68.2

104.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 NZ$3.39

$1.53 ฿51.6

29.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 NZ$2.81

$1.50 ฿50.5

9.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 NZ$3.34

$0.98 ฿32.93

98.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 NZ$1.14

$0.52 ฿17.40

28.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.79 NZ$42.45

$4.44 ฿149

458.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.14 NZ$17.37

$18.32 ฿616

-44.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 NZ$3.26

$1.86 ฿62.7

2.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 NZ$2.09

$2.68 ฿90.2

-54.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 NZ$4.12

$1.41 ฿47.49

70.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.6 NZ$111

$11.70 ฿394

452.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 NZ$3.59

$3.11 ฿105

-32.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 NZ$3.30

$1.04 ฿35.08

84.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.58 NZ$60.9

$14.11 ฿475

152.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 NZ$2.80

$1.31 ฿44.13

25.19%

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

$28.8K NZ$49.3K

$27.8K ฿936.0K

3.51%

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

$21.8K NZ$37.3K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-34.39%

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

$144 NZ$246

$122 ฿4,120

17.48%

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

$15.28 NZ$26.16

$13.59 ฿457

12.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.76 NZ$74.9

$18.70 ฿629

134.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.11 NZ$49.84

$60.5 ฿2,035

-51.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.86 NZ$20.31

$16.98 ฿572

-30.15%

Cinema Ticket

$10.83 NZ$18.54

$9.07 ฿305

19.40%

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

$911 NZ$1,561

$706 ฿23.8K

29.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K NZ$23.4K

$15.8K ฿531.8K

-13.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.5 NZ$122

$58.6 ฿1,970

22.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.78 NZ$85.2

$35.36 ฿1,190

40.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 NZ$164

$115 ฿3,885

-17.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.9 NZ$157

$83.7 ฿2,818

9.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,041 NZ$1,783

$626 ฿21.1K

66.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$788 NZ$1,349

$445 ฿15.0K

76.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,889 NZ$4,946

$2,040 ฿68.7K

41.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,393 NZ$2,385

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-6.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,387 NZ$12.6K

$3,483 ฿117.2K

112.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,070 NZ$10.4K

$2,577 ฿86.7K

135.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,892 NZ$4,952

$500 ฿16.8K

478.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.37

5.33

19.51%

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

Last update for North Shore: July 11, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,041 in North Shore and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

North Shore pays 479% 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: $79.0 in North Shore vs $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $281 vs $289, with North Shore cheaper for home cooking.

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

North Shore vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

North Shore and Phuket differ by about 46% in total monthly costs ($1,828 vs $1,250 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 479% higher in North Shore, 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: $1,041 in North Shore versus $626 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 $46.00 versus $79.0 in North Shore. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,828 per month in North Shore versus $1,250 in Phuket – a 46% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,828 in North Shore, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in North Shore. 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, North Shore 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 46% less than in North Shore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.