Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Madang Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Madang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $531 in Madang, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $1,183 in Madang, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $1,834 in Madang, rent included.

Phuket costs about 135% more than Madang, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Phuket and Madang are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Madang 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$6.81 PGK 29.95

-33.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$38.42 PGK 169

20.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$10.63 PGK 46.76

-16.84%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.46 PGK 10.83

24.39%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$1.19 PGK 5.22

-38.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.76 PGK 3.33

-47.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$2.92 PGK 12.87

-16.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$4.36 PGK 19.21

-13.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.97 PGK 8.65

14.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.47 PGK 6.46

23.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.41 PGK 6.20

59.57%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$3.40 PGK 14.97

-33.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$5.60 PGK 24.66

-34.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$8.37 PGK 36.85

55.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$5.23 PGK 23.02

-38.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$2.43 PGK 10.70

-33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$1.00 PGK 4.39

138.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$1.89 PGK 8.30

7.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$4.78 PGK 21.03

-67.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$2.94 PGK 12.96

-48.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$5.96 PGK 26.23

-83.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.50 PGK 2.21

4.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$5.17 PGK 22.75

-14.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$2.11 PGK 9.28

-11.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$2.38 PGK 10.46

12.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.07 PGK 4.70

22.43%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

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

$122 ฿4,118

$68.4 PGK 301

79.03%

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

$13.59 ฿457

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$24.39 PGK 107

-23.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$80.1 PGK 353

781.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$5,952 PGK 26.2K

165.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$19.02 PGK 83.7

207.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$14.14 PGK 62.2

150.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$67.2 PGK 296

71.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$28.64 PGK 126

192.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$942 PGK 4,147

116.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$604 PGK 2,658

147.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Madang: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket versus $38.00 in Madang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $226 – making Madang 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 Madang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 135% more than Madang, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,875 per month in Phuket and $797 in Madang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket and $38.00 in Madang. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 28% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Madang, where all-in costs run around $531, than in Phuket at $1,250. In Madang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Madang costs $531 versus $1,250 in Phuket. 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 Madang. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.