Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Gisborne Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Gisborne

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,996 in Gisborne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $2,961 in Gisborne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $3,927 in Gisborne.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 37% less than in Gisborne, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Gisborne is 49% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$14.84 NZ$25.57

-68.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,491

$79.5 NZ$137

-42.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿277

$9.44 NZ$16.26

-10.70%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿96.3

$3.55 NZ$6.11

-17.46%

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

$0.69 ฿22.54

$2.34 NZ$4.02

-70.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.07

$2.11 NZ$3.64

-82.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿79.2

$7.25 NZ$12.49

-66.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$6.42 NZ$11.06

-42.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.4

$1.79 NZ$3.09

24.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿60.2

$2.00 NZ$3.45

-8.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿71.3

$1.83 NZ$3.15

18.58%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.8

$6.08 NZ$10.47

-63.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿649

$8.17 NZ$14.08

141.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$9.81 NZ$16.89

-63.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿445

$12.90 NZ$22.22

4.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿108

$2.78 NZ$4.79

17.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$2.16 NZ$3.73

-25.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.2

$3.01 NZ$5.19

-19.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.5

$4.66 NZ$8.03

-55.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.3

$1.99 NZ$3.43

-23.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.67

$1.86 NZ$3.21

-20.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.50

$2.21 NZ$3.80

-55.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.78

$1.15 NZ$1.98

-55.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿145

$24.00 NZ$41.35

-81.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿637

$10.19 NZ$17.55

90.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.5

$2.53 NZ$4.35

-29.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿89.1

$3.70 NZ$6.37

-26.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿45.07

$2.06 NZ$3.55

-33.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿375

$64.9 NZ$112

-82.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿99.3

$2.73 NZ$4.70

10.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.69

$1.86 NZ$3.20

-46.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿463

$35.59 NZ$61.3

-60.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.79

$1.74 NZ$3.00

-21.84%

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

$28.2K ฿927.0K

$28.7K NZ$49.4K

-1.69%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$22.6K NZ$38.9K

45.56%

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

$122 ฿4,000

$141 NZ$243

-13.78%

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

$13.57 ฿446

$36.47 NZ$62.8

-62.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿602

$51.4 NZ$88.6

-64.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,979

$36.46 NZ$62.8

65.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿563

$11.93 NZ$20.56

43.67%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿286

$10.67 NZ$18.39

-18.56%

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

$693 ฿22.8K

$731 NZ$1,259

-5.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿515.6K

$12.2K NZ$21.1K

28.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,957

$68.3 NZ$118

-12.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,143

$38.26 NZ$65.9

-9.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,767

$95.8 NZ$165

19.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,738

$119 NZ$205

-29.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.2K

$968 NZ$1,668

-36.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.4K

$890 NZ$1,534

-50.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.8K

$1,472 NZ$2,536

42.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.6K

$1,302 NZ$2,244

15.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿123.2K

$4,832 NZ$8,324

-22.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿86.0K

$2,964 NZ$5,106

-11.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.7K

$4,489 NZ$7,734

-88.68%

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 2, 2026

Last update for Gisborne: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $968 in Gisborne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gisborne pays 784% 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: $45.00 in Phuket vs $79.0 in Gisborne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $317 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 Gisborne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 58% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Gisborne earns 784% less. 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: $613 in Phuket versus $968 in Gisborne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $1,996 in Gisborne – a 58% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 470% less than in Gisborne. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,996 in Gisborne, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Gisborne. 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 Gisborne, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Gisborne 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 58% less than in Gisborne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.