Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Invercargill Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Invercargill

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $1,556 in Invercargill, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,286 per month in Phuket vs $2,464 in Invercargill, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,310 per month in Phuket vs $3,372 in Invercargill, rent included.

Phuket is about 19% cheaper than Invercargill, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Invercargill is 16% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$11.97 NZ$20.44

-61.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$71.5 NZ$122

-34.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$8.59 NZ$14.67

-1.40%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$3.51 NZ$5.99

-13.68%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$1.67 NZ$2.84

-58.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$1.48 NZ$2.53

-75.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$6.19 NZ$10.57

-59.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$4.91 NZ$8.39

-25.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.52 NZ$2.60

43.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$1.73 NZ$2.95

9.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.71 NZ$2.91

28.65%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$5.52 NZ$9.43

-59.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$8.37 NZ$14.29

138.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$9.08 NZ$15.50

-59.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$13.26 NZ$22.63

-0.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$2.74 NZ$4.68

17.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$2.35 NZ$4.02

-27.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$2.65 NZ$4.53

-9.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$3.80 NZ$6.48

-45.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.98 NZ$3.39

-19.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.82 NZ$3.12

-18.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$2.57 NZ$4.39

-59.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$1.08 NZ$1.84

-51.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$21.97 NZ$37.51

-80.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$8.69 NZ$14.84

116.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$4.17 NZ$7.11

-57.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$3.62 NZ$6.18

-23.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$1.61 NZ$2.75

-15.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$63.6 NZ$109

-82.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$2.34 NZ$3.99

34.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$1.87 NZ$3.19

-44.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$30.72 NZ$52.5

-55.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.67 NZ$2.85

-19.76%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$25.6K NZ$43.8K

7.95%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$19.9K NZ$34.0K

70.25%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$102 NZ$174

21.18%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$35.93 NZ$61.4

-62.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$49.23 NZ$84.1

-62.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$29.78 NZ$50.9

107.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$12.18 NZ$20.79

41.63%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$9.71 NZ$16.57

-5.87%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$579 NZ$988

21.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$12.2K NZ$20.9K

29.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$66.5 NZ$114

-10.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$34.62 NZ$59.1

1.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$81.4 NZ$139

41.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$82.8 NZ$141

1.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$648 NZ$1,106

-4.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$597 NZ$1,019

-27.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$884 NZ$1,510

133.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$1,086 NZ$1,854

39.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$4,483 NZ$7,655

-18.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$3,469 NZ$5,924

-24.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$3,077 NZ$5,254

-83.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.87

-22.42%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Invercargill: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Phuket versus $648 in Invercargill. 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 507% higher in Invercargill, 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 $71.0 in Invercargill. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $307 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Invercargill: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Invercargill costs about 23% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,892 per month in Phuket and $2,334 in Invercargill. 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.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Invercargill, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket and $71.0 in Invercargill. 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 $1,261, than in Invercargill at $1,556. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Invercargill it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,261 versus $1,556 in Invercargill. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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