Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Goulburn Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Goulburn

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $2,130 in Goulburn, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Phuket vs $3,173 in Goulburn, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,279 per month in Phuket vs $4,216 in Goulburn, rent included.

Phuket is about 42% cheaper than Goulburn, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 8% below the global median, while Goulburn is 59% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$17.65 A$24.71

-73.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$95.1 A$133

-50.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$8.01 A$11.22

10.36%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$2.94 A$4.12

2.04%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$2.87 A$4.02

-74.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$2.11 A$2.96

-82.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$6.42 A$8.98

-61.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$6.60 A$9.24

-45.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.09 A$1.53

107.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$2.34 A$3.27

-21.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$2.21 A$3.09

1.36%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$3.78 A$5.29

-38.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$9.41 A$13.17

109.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$7.78 A$10.89

-53.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$14.22 A$19.91

-7.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$3.11 A$4.35

9.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$2.16 A$3.02

-24.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.58 A$2.22

52.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$3.69 A$5.16

-44.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$2.38 A$3.33

-34.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$1.28 A$1.79

17.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$1.33 A$1.86

-23.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.95 A$1.33

-48.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$29.85 A$41.79

-85.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$8.61 A$12.05

119.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$4.04 A$5.65

-55.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$3.07 A$4.30

-10.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$2.56 A$3.59

-45.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

$66.2 A$92.7

-82.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$2.30 A$3.22

35.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$1.61 A$2.25

-37.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$38.34 A$53.7

-63.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.12 A$1.57

20.54%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$28.7K A$40.2K

-5.34%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$21.7K A$30.4K

51.50%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$96.3 A$135

29.84%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$29.43 A$41.20

-53.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$56.0 A$78.4

-66.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$49.73 A$69.6

23.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

$15.44 A$21.61

9.07%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$7.90 A$11.06

16.33%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$908 A$1,271

-23.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$12.0K A$16.8K

29.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$74.9 A$105

-22.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$44.97 A$63.0

-21.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$90.6 A$127

24.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$109 A$152

-20.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$1,285 A$1,800

-52.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$1,054 A$1,475

-57.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$2,017 A$2,824

1.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$1,703 A$2,384

-12.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

$6,278 A$8,790

-39.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

$5,437 A$7,611

-51.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$4,256 A$5,958

-87.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.75

-21.04%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Goulburn: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $616 in Phuket versus $1,285 in Goulburn. 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 712% higher in Goulburn, 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 $95.0 in Goulburn. Groceries tell a different story – $292 in Phuket vs $291 in Goulburn – so Goulburn 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 Goulburn: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Goulburn is pricier by about 73%, 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 $1,847 per month in Phuket and $3,194 in Goulburn. 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 0% cheaper in Goulburn – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket and $95.0 in Goulburn. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,232, than in Goulburn at $2,130. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Goulburn 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, Goulburn makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.