Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ipswich Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ipswich

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,264 per month in Phuket vs $2,169 in Ipswich, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,256 per month in Phuket vs $3,062 in Ipswich, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Phuket vs $3,954 in Ipswich, rent included.

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

Phuket sits 5% below the global median, while Ipswich is 63% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$15.96 A$22.64

-71.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$77.0 A$109

-40.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$9.52 A$13.51

-7.98%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$3.35 A$4.76

-11.34%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$2.54 A$3.60

-72.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$2.17 A$3.08

-82.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$6.67 A$9.46

-62.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$7.11 A$10.09

-47.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.45 A$2.05

48.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$2.40 A$3.40

-24.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$2.03 A$2.88

7.39%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$4.24 A$6.01

-46.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$8.75 A$12.41

128.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$8.62 A$12.23

-57.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$13.45 A$19.09

0.82%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$3.34 A$4.73

-2.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$2.87 A$4.07

-42.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$2.88 A$4.09

-19.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$4.22 A$5.99

-50.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$2.53 A$3.59

-38.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$2.11 A$3.00

-30.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$2.19 A$3.10

-55.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$1.59 A$2.26

-69.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$39.52 A$56.1

-88.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$22.30 A$31.65

-16.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$4.55 A$6.45

-59.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$5.22 A$7.41

-49.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$2.68 A$3.80

-47.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$65.4 A$92.8

-82.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$1.96 A$2.79

61.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$1.46 A$2.07

-29.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$33.33 A$47.29

-58.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.14 A$1.62

17.54%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$29.4K A$41.7K

-5.37%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$22.1K A$31.3K

51.23%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$181 A$257

-32.10%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$29.85 A$42.36

-53.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$53.5 A$75.9

-65.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$49.15 A$69.7

23.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$15.87 A$22.51

8.13%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$13.17 A$18.69

-32.65%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$1,642 A$2,329

-58.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$12.0K A$17.0K

31.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$67.4 A$95.6

-11.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$49.74 A$70.6

-30.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$100 A$143

14.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$105 A$150

-20.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$964 A$1,367

-35.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$947 A$1,344

-52.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$1,291 A$1,832

57.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$1,278 A$1,813

17.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$4,186 A$5,939

-88.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-11.17%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ipswich: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $621 in Phuket versus $964 in Ipswich. 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 748% higher in Ipswich, 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $77.0 in Ipswich. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $357 – 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 Ipswich: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ipswich is pricier by about 72%, 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 $1,896 per month in Phuket and $3,254 in Ipswich. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,264 in Phuket and $2,169 in Ipswich. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 465% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,264, than in Ipswich at $2,169. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ipswich 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, Ipswich makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.