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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $526 in Madang, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $1,166 in Madang, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $1,805 in Madang, rent included.

Phuket costs about 141% more than Madang, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Phuket and Madang are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Madang 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$6.70 PGK 29.22

-29.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$37.78 PGK 165

20.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$10.97 PGK 47.83

-23.15%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$2.35 PGK 10.23

24.68%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$1.23 PGK 5.38

-43.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.70 PGK 3.05

-47.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$2.91 PGK 12.67

-17.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$4.39 PGK 19.15

-15.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.88 PGK 8.22

18.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.45 PGK 6.33

26.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.41 PGK 6.14

53.90%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$3.34 PGK 14.55

-33.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$5.71 PGK 24.90

-36.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$8.14 PGK 35.49

66.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$5.15 PGK 22.48

-36.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$2.38 PGK 10.39

-32.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$0.99 PGK 4.31

143.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.97 PGK 8.61

5.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$4.88 PGK 21.30

-68.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$2.82 PGK 12.29

-47.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$5.91 PGK 25.76

-83.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.47 PGK 2.04

8.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$5.08 PGK 22.15

-13.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$2.13 PGK 9.31

-16.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$2.47 PGK 10.75

9.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.11 PGK 4.82

22.52%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

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

$122 ฿3,975

$67.8 PGK 296

79.42%

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

$13.57 ฿443

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$24.17 PGK 105

-24.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$78.9 PGK 344

779.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$6,046 PGK 26.4K

159.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$19.45 PGK 84.8

206.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$14.56 PGK 63.5

138.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$66.1 PGK 288

73.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$29.07 PGK 127

186.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$957 PGK 4,175

118.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$611 PGK 2,664

147.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Madang: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket versus $38.00 in Madang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $224 – 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 141% 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 $1,898 per month in Phuket and $789 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 $45.00 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 31% 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 $526, than in Phuket at $1,265. 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 $526 versus $1,265 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.