Cost of Living Comparison Between Parramatta and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Parramatta and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,011 in Parramatta versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,241 in Parramatta versus $2,089 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,471 in Parramatta versus $2,913 in Phuket.

Living in Parramatta is roughly 138% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Parramatta is 118% above, Phuket is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.99 A$25.08

$4.66 ฿154

286.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.1 A$130

$32.22 ฿1,065

188.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.61 A$16.18

$8.68 ฿287

33.76%

Cappuccino

$4.21 A$5.87

$2.90 ฿95.8

45.17%

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

$3.30 A$4.60

$0.84 ฿27.89

292.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 A$3.90

$0.49 ฿16.16

471.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.47 A$11.81

$2.48 ฿82.0

241.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.17 A$10.00

$3.73 ฿123

92.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 A$2.36

$1.89 ฿62.3

-10.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.83 A$3.94

$1.41 ฿46.54

100.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.44 A$3.40

$1.62 ฿53.6

50.62%

Eggs

$5.37 A$7.49

$2.24 ฿74.1

139.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.05 A$18.19

$19.84 ฿656

-34.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.57 A$13.34

$3.48 ฿115

175.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.19 A$22.58

$11.37 ฿376

42.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.81 A$5.31

$2.90 ฿95.8

31.38%

Banana (1kg)

$3.09 A$4.30

$1.72 ฿57.0

79.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.52 A$4.91

$2.27 ฿75.1

55.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.20 A$7.25

$2.13 ฿70.4

144.13%

Potato (1kg)

$3.27 A$4.56

$1.47 ฿48.72

122.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.56 A$3.57

$1.42 ฿46.92

80.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.70 A$3.77

$1.10 ฿36.25

145.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 A$2.12

$0.60 ฿19.76

153.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$45.29 A$63.1

$4.31 ฿142

950.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.24 A$19.86

$18.60 ฿615

-23.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.30 A$5.99

$1.80 ฿59.5

138.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.04 A$5.63

$2.97 ฿98.0

36.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$144 A$201

$23.49 ฿776

514.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 A$4.98

$3.10 ฿102

15.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 A$2.24

$1.08 ฿35.56

49.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.41 A$57.7

$3.87 ฿128

970.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 A$1.90

$1.43 ฿47.16

-4.90%

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

$31.2K A$43.6K

$27.8K ฿918.0K

12.42%

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

$30.9K A$43.1K

$27.0K ฿891.5K

14.51%

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

$223 A$312

$105 ฿3,462

113.22%

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

$28.43 A$39.63

$11.39 ฿376

149.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.3 A$81.3

$17.54 ฿580

232.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.27 A$50.6

$54.3 ฿1,795

-33.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.47 A$28.54

$11.44 ฿378

78.93%

Cinema Ticket

$16.91 A$23.58

$7.78 ฿257

117.35%

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

$2,240 A$3,123

$576 ฿19.0K

288.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.2K A$29.5K

$11.6K ฿382.7K

82.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.5 A$114

$63.6 ฿2,103

27.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 A$81.6

$29.10 ฿961

101.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 A$159

$96.2 ฿3,179

18.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 A$186

$90.0 ฿2,974

48.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,864 A$2,598

$733 ฿24.2K

154.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,588 A$2,214

$501 ฿16.5K

216.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,131 A$5,760

$2,126 ฿70.2K

94.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,183 A$3,043

$1,252 ฿41.4K

74.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,412 A$6,152

$3,534 ฿116.8K

24.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,490 A$4,866

$2,622 ฿86.6K

33.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,197 A$5,851

$508 ฿16.8K

726.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

5.57

4.85%

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

Last update for Parramatta: September 8, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,864 in Parramatta and $733 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Parramatta pays 727% 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: $93.0 in Parramatta vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $392 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

Parramatta vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 138% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 727% higher in Parramatta, 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: $1,864 in Parramatta versus $733 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,011 per month in Parramatta versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 138% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 514% less than in Parramatta. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $3,011 in Parramatta, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Parramatta. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Parramatta, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Parramatta 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 138% less than in Parramatta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.