Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cambridge Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cambridge

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,843 in Cambridge.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,078 in Phuket versus $2,847 in Cambridge.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,896 in Phuket versus $3,852 in Cambridge.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 32% less than in Cambridge, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 8% below, Cambridge is 34% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.43 ฿145

$14.70 NZ$24.68

-69.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.07 ฿1,151

$34.74 NZ$58.3

0.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 ฿294

$8.92 NZ$14.99

0.45%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.4

$2.91 NZ$4.88

3.09%

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

$0.77 ฿25.33

$2.06 NZ$3.46

-62.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ฿15.44

$1.98 NZ$3.33

-76.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 ฿78.6

$4.69 NZ$7.88

-48.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿123

$7.14 NZ$11.99

-47.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 ฿59.8

$1.65 NZ$2.77

10.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 ฿46.65

$2.22 NZ$3.72

-36.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.8

$1.88 NZ$3.15

-17.55%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$6.28 NZ$10.55

-66.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.76 ฿648

$8.63 NZ$14.50

128.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿114

$9.99 NZ$16.77

-65.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.09 ฿364

$13.66 NZ$22.94

-18.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 ฿95.5

$2.61 NZ$4.39

11.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ฿54.6

$2.17 NZ$3.64

-23.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿74.5

$2.42 NZ$4.07

-6.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 ฿68.8

$3.00 NZ$5.04

-30.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.24

$2.20 NZ$3.69

-33.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 ฿46.29

$1.73 NZ$2.91

-18.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ฿35.78

$2.08 NZ$3.50

-47.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ฿17.58

$1.18 NZ$1.99

-54.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.48 ฿147

$28.59 NZ$48.01

-84.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.72 ฿614

$10.41 NZ$17.47

79.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿60.4

$2.69 NZ$4.52

-31.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 ฿96.7

$3.36 NZ$5.65

-12.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 ฿74.1

$1.74 NZ$2.92

29.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.07 ฿757

$78.8 NZ$132

-70.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ฿99.9

$2.33 NZ$3.91

30.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 ฿35.82

$2.05 NZ$3.44

-46.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 ฿125

$33.21 NZ$55.8

-88.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿48.79

$1.63 NZ$2.74

-8.59%

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

$27.4K ฿900.3K

$26.6K NZ$44.6K

3.33%

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

$27.5K ฿902.7K

$24.0K NZ$40.3K

14.63%

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

$102 ฿3,340

$107 NZ$179

-4.56%

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

$11.28 ฿370

$28.20 NZ$47.35

-60.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.75 ฿582

$38.37 NZ$64.4

-53.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 ฿1,777

$43.58 NZ$73.2

24.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.96 ฿360

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 ฿258

$13.61 NZ$22.86

-42.32%

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

$577 ฿18.9K

$1,204 NZ$2,023

-52.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿381.6K

$21.4K NZ$36.0K

-45.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 ฿2,144

$78.9 NZ$133

-17.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.89 ฿948

$44.17 NZ$74.2

-34.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 ฿3,250

$91.2 NZ$153

8.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,961

$116 NZ$195

-22.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$756 ฿24.8K

$952 NZ$1,598

-20.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 ฿16.0K

$845 NZ$1,420

-42.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿68.4K

$1,567 NZ$2,632

33.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 ฿39.6K

$1,553 NZ$2,608

-22.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,591 ฿117.8K

$4,919 NZ$8,260

-27.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,610 ฿85.6K

$3,470 NZ$5,827

-24.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿16.5K

$2,730 NZ$4,584

-81.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.33

4.50%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 18, 2026

Last update for Cambridge: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $756 in Phuket and $952 in Cambridge. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cambridge pays 444% 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: $35.00 in Phuket vs $35.00 in Cambridge for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $313 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

Phuket vs Cambridge: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 46% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 444% lower in Cambridge. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $756 in Phuket versus $952 in Cambridge. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,261 per month in Phuket versus $1,843 in Cambridge – a 46% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 241% less than in Cambridge. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,843 in Cambridge, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Cambridge. 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 Cambridge, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Cambridge 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 Cambridge. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.