Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Hervey Bay

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,278 a month against $2,403 in Hervey Bay, rent and utilities included – about $13,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index
117

Cost of Living Index in Hervey Bay
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Hervey Bay Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

Hervey Bay

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,403

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Hervey Bay

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Hervey Bay actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,278 per month in Phuket vs $2,403 in Hervey Bay, rent included.

Phuket $1,278
Hervey Bay $2,403

A couple spends around $2,216 per month in Phuket vs $3,452 in Hervey Bay, rent included.

Phuket $2,216
Hervey Bay $3,452

A family of three spends $3,154 per month in Phuket vs $4,500 in Hervey Bay, rent included.

Phuket $3,154
Hervey Bay $4,500

Phuket is about 47% cheaper than Hervey Bay, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Hervey Bay is 77% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.47 ฿151

$17.48 A$24.86

-74.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.41 ฿1,094

$74.4 A$106

-56.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.81 ฿297

$10.56 A$15.01

-16.57%

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿95.4

$3.85 A$5.47

-26.49%

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

$0.87 ฿29.42

$2.90 A$4.12

-70.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.66

$2.26 A$3.21

-78.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 ฿86.3

$5.99 A$8.52

-57.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿124

$8.23 A$11.71

-55.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿56.0

$1.62 A$2.31

2.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿49.32

$2.71 A$3.86

-46.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$2.21 A$3.15

-32.13%

Eggs

$2.09 ฿70.5

$4.76 A$6.77

-56.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.07 ฿643

$9.13 A$12.99

108.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿111

$9.35 A$13.30

-64.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.91 ฿368

$14.41 A$20.50

-24.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 ฿98.9

$4.30 A$6.12

-31.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿57.0

$3.14 A$4.47

-46.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$3.02 A$4.30

-25.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿70.1

$4.96 A$7.05

-58.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ฿51.0

$2.72 A$3.87

-44.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$2.43 A$3.45

-43.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.97

$2.29 A$3.26

-53.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.51

$1.19 A$1.69

-56.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ฿142

$38.10 A$54.2

-88.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿634

$12.47 A$17.73

50.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿61.5

$5.17 A$7.35

-64.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.9

$5.12 A$7.29

-44.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿49.00

$2.94 A$4.18

-50.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.7 ฿1,912

$80.7 A$115

-29.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿102

$3.10 A$4.40

-2.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.34

$1.81 A$2.58

-43.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 ฿125

$41.81 A$59.5

-91.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.78

$1.45 A$2.06

1.38%

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

$26.8K ฿903.7K

$29.5K A$41.9K

-9.16%

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

$26.7K ฿900.8K

$25.8K A$36.7K

3.52%

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

$96.4 ฿3,252

$163 A$231

-40.76%

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

$11.26 ฿380

$25.76 A$36.63

-56.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.85 ฿569

$61.1 A$86.9

-72.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 ฿2,269

$49.51 A$70.4

35.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.73 ฿362

$15.99 A$22.75

-32.90%

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 ฿253

$13.76 A$19.58

-45.49%

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

$476 ฿16.1K

$2,043 A$2,906

-76.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿380.1K

$12.8K A$18.2K

-11.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 ฿2,105

$63.3 A$90.1

-1.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.41 ฿959

$44.32 A$63.0

-35.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,182

$63.3 A$90.0

49.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 ฿2,896

$63.8 A$90.7

34.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 ฿24.2K

$1,400 A$1,992

-48.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 ฿16.6K

$1,218 A$1,733

-59.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,927 ฿65.0K

$2,268 A$3,226

-15.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 ฿48.3K

$1,834 A$2,608

-21.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,175 ฿140.9K

$5,566 A$7,917

-24.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,045 ฿102.8K

$4,622 A$6,574

-34.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿17.0K

$2,751 A$3,913

-81.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.81

-4.13%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Hervey Bay: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$491 38.4%

Hervey Bay

$1.2K 50.7% 148% $728

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$266 20.8%

Hervey Bay

$363 15.1% 36.5% $97

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$124 9.7%

Hervey Bay

$249 10.4% 100% $125

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Hervey Bay

$106 4.4% 13.4% $16

Eating Out

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Hervey Bay

$285 11.9% 134% $163

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$82 6.4%

Hervey Bay

$77 3.2% 6.3% $5.2

Getting Around

Phuket

$71 5.5%

Hervey Bay

$105 4.4% 48.3% $34

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $716 in Phuket versus $1,400 in Hervey Bay. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Hervey Bay are about 5.5 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Phuket versus $74 in Hervey Bay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $266 vs $363 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇦🇺 Hervey Bay

🕒 Local time

16:03 4:03 PM

19:03 7:03 PM

3 h ahead of Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

57,722

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Australian Dollar AUD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 AUD = 0.703 USD

1 AUD = 0.63 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

AUD, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.66 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 1.42 AUD (1 AUD = 0.703 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 AUD (1 AUD = 0.63 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Phuket Hervey Bay 6,950 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Hervey Bay

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Hervey Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Hervey Bay is pricier by about 88%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,917 per month in Phuket and $3,605 in Hervey Bay. 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $716 there versus $1,400 in Hervey Bay.

Kindergarten costs $476 per month in Phuket and $2,043 in Hervey Bay. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 36% more in Hervey Bay, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,278, than in Hervey Bay at $2,403. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hervey Bay 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 cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hervey Bay makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.