Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Blenheim Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Blenheim

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $1,594 in Blenheim, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,286 per month in Phuket vs $2,551 in Blenheim, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,310 per month in Phuket vs $3,507 in Blenheim, rent included.

Phuket is about 21% cheaper than Blenheim, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Blenheim is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$16.64 NZ$28.41

-72.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$73.7 NZ$126

-36.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$8.53 NZ$14.56

-0.70%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$3.47 NZ$5.92

-12.68%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$2.32 NZ$3.95

-70.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$2.06 NZ$3.52

-82.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$5.94 NZ$10.14

-58.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$7.42 NZ$12.67

-50.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.92 NZ$3.29

13.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$1.59 NZ$2.71

19.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.45 NZ$2.48

51.72%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$5.78 NZ$9.87

-61.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$7.78 NZ$13.28

156.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$6.36 NZ$10.87

-42.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$13.10 NZ$22.36

1.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$3.07 NZ$5.24

5.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.83 NZ$3.13

-7.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$2.82 NZ$4.82

-15.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$5.79 NZ$9.88

-64.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.94 NZ$3.31

-18.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$2.25 NZ$3.84

-34.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$2.43 NZ$4.15

-57.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$1.42 NZ$2.42

-63.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$24.52 NZ$41.87

-82.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$8.04 NZ$13.74

133.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.56 NZ$2.66

12.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$1.76 NZ$3.00

56.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$2.96 NZ$5.05

-54.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$121 NZ$206

-90.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$2.69 NZ$4.60

16.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$1.13 NZ$1.94

-7.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$30.61 NZ$52.3

-55.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.72 NZ$2.93

-22.09%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$18.1K NZ$30.8K

53.29%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$15.9K NZ$27.1K

113.60%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$56.5 NZ$96.5

118.70%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$31.98 NZ$54.6

-57.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$50.9 NZ$86.9

-63.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$31.36 NZ$53.6

97.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$4.84 NZ$8.27

256.40%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$11.18 NZ$19.09

-18.25%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$476 NZ$812

47.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$9,422 NZ$16.1K

68.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$37.85 NZ$64.6

57.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$29.92 NZ$51.1

17.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$90.6 NZ$155

27.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$73.8 NZ$126

13.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$720 NZ$1,229

-14.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$574 NZ$981

-24.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$1,049 NZ$1,791

96.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$1,118 NZ$1,909

35.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$2,539 NZ$4,335

-80.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.74

-20.92%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Blenheim: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Phuket versus $720 in Blenheim. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 401% higher in Blenheim, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket versus $74.0 in Blenheim. Groceries tell a different story – $293 in Phuket vs $289 in Blenheim – so Blenheim wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Phuket vs Blenheim: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Blenheim is pricier by about 26%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,892 per month in Phuket and $2,391 in Blenheim. 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 $1,261 in Phuket and $1,594 in Blenheim. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 963% 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 $1,261, than in Blenheim at $1,594. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Blenheim it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Blenheim makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.