Cost of Living Comparison Between Nowra NSW and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Nowra NSW and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,270 per month in Nowra NSW vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,341 per month in Nowra NSW vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,412 per month in Nowra NSW vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

Nowra NSW costs about 82% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Nowra NSW sits 70% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.97 A$22.88

$4.55 ฿153

250.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.8 A$134

$46.18 ฿1,554

103.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.57 A$12.28

$8.84 ฿298

-3.05%

Cappuccino

$3.33 A$4.77

$3.06 ฿103

8.82%

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

$2.52 A$3.62

$0.73 ฿24.42

245.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 A$2.89

$0.40 ฿13.40

405.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.67 A$9.56

$2.43 ฿81.8

174.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.33 A$9.07

$3.78 ฿127

67.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 A$1.88

$2.26 ฿76.0

-42.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 A$3.31

$1.81 ฿60.9

27.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 A$3.02

$2.25 ฿75.8

-6.22%

Eggs

$3.84 A$5.50

$2.25 ฿75.6

70.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.41 A$13.49

$19.51 ฿656

-51.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.75 A$11.11

$3.65 ฿123

112.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.34 A$20.54

$13.05 ฿439

9.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 A$4.70

$3.23 ฿109

1.55%

Banana (1kg)

$2.73 A$3.91

$1.62 ฿54.4

68.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.75 A$3.94

$2.38 ฿80.2

15.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.77 A$5.40

$2.03 ฿68.2

85.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 A$3.82

$1.53 ฿51.6

74.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 A$3.04

$1.50 ฿50.5

41.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 A$3.09

$0.98 ฿32.93

120.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 A$1.48

$0.52 ฿17.40

98.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$29.21 A$41.86

$4.44 ฿149

557.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 A$20.21

$18.32 ฿616

-22.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.13 A$5.92

$1.86 ฿62.7

122.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 A$4.57

$2.68 ฿90.2

19.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.64 A$3.78

$1.41 ฿47.49

87.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.3 A$95.0

$11.70 ฿394

466.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.30 A$3.30

$3.11 ฿105

-26.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.73 A$2.47

$1.04 ฿35.08

66.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.52 A$55.2

$14.11 ฿475

173.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 A$1.67

$1.31 ฿44.13

-10.69%

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

$28.8K A$41.3K

$27.8K ฿936.0K

3.52%

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

$21.8K A$31.2K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-34.43%

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

$187 A$267

$122 ฿4,120

52.37%

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

$29.81 A$42.71

$13.59 ฿457

119.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 A$82.6

$18.70 ฿629

208.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.59 A$69.6

$60.5 ฿2,035

-19.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.99 A$22.91

$16.98 ฿572

-5.83%

Cinema Ticket

$12.90 A$18.49

$9.07 ฿305

42.23%

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

$921 A$1,319

$706 ฿23.8K

30.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K A$17.5K

$15.8K ฿531.8K

-22.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.8 A$110

$58.6 ฿1,970

31.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.07 A$64.6

$35.36 ฿1,190

27.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.3 A$129

$115 ฿3,885

-21.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 A$158

$83.7 ฿2,818

31.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 A$1,823

$626 ฿21.1K

103.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,084 A$1,553

$445 ฿15.0K

143.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,053 A$2,941

$2,040 ฿68.7K

0.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,658 A$2,376

$1,492 ฿50.2K

11.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,623 A$9,489

$3,483 ฿117.2K

90.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,484 A$6,424

$2,577 ฿86.7K

74.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

5.33

26.64%

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

Last update for Nowra NSW: July 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,272 in Nowra NSW 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 $94.0 in Nowra NSW versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $321 vs $289 – 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

Nowra NSW vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,270 in Nowra NSW, $1,250 in Phuket – roughly 82% apart. Nowra NSW costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,405 per month in Nowra NSW 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 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 $2,270 in Nowra NSW and $1,250 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 467% 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 $1,250, than in Nowra NSW at $2,270. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nowra NSW 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 $1,250 in Phuket to $2,270 in Nowra NSW. 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, Nowra NSW makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.