Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Masterton Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Masterton

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $867 in Masterton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,478 in Masterton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $2,089 in Masterton.

Living in Phuket is roughly 42% more expensive than in Masterton, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Masterton 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$9.94 NZ$17.28

-55.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,073

$66.8 NZ$116

-51.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

$8.59 NZ$14.93

3.96%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.3

$3.30 NZ$5.74

-12.12%

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

$0.88 ฿29.29

$2.07 NZ$3.60

-57.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.01

$1.18 NZ$2.05

-59.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.2

$3.94 NZ$6.85

-40.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$3.53 NZ$6.14

5.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.1

$1.48 NZ$2.58

26.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.78

$2.25 NZ$3.91

-34.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.07 NZ$1.86

44.86%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿69.9

$6.32 NZ$10.98

-66.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿652

$8.78 NZ$15.27

123.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$10.24 NZ$17.80

-66.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿379

$15.78 NZ$27.44

-27.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.3

$2.36 NZ$4.10

26.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.1

$1.79 NZ$3.11

-6.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

$3.16 NZ$5.50

-30.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿71.9

$4.70 NZ$8.16

-54.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

$1.55 NZ$2.69

-1.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.52

$1.16 NZ$2.01

15.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.55

$1.78 NZ$3.09

-36.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.18

$0.50 NZ$0.87

10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$19.84 NZ$34.50

-78.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

$11.37 NZ$19.77

67.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

$0.90 NZ$1.56

97.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.6

$1.19 NZ$2.07

133.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.2

$2.36 NZ$4.10

-5.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿756

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$1.87 NZ$3.25

62.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.04

$1.81 NZ$3.15

-43.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿129

$34.33 NZ$59.7

-88.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.60

$1.74 NZ$3.02

-14.37%

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

$26.6K ฿884.4K

$23.4K NZ$40.7K

13.47%

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

$27.0K ฿899.3K

$25.5K NZ$44.3K

6.16%

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

$102 ฿3,409

$57.7 NZ$100

77.50%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$31.00 NZ$53.9

-63.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿579

$54.6 NZ$94.9

-68.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,733

$43.22 NZ$75.1

20.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿368

$8.33 NZ$14.48

32.89%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$9.70 NZ$16.86

-20.72%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$1,069 NZ$1,859

-47.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿382.8K

$13.3K NZ$23.1K

-13.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,097

$57.0 NZ$99.1

10.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿982

$28.98 NZ$50.4

1.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,261

$104 NZ$182

-6.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,944

$142 NZ$247

-37.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.1K

$1,032 NZ$1,795

104.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

$2,429 NZ$4,224

-79.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.39

3.34%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Masterton: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Masterton pays 392% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $67.0 in Masterton for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $300 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

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 Masterton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Masterton is cheaper overall, especially in Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 42% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 392% lower in Masterton. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Shoppers in Phuket pay roughly 10% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $867 in Masterton – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $867 in Masterton versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Masterton but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Masterton the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Masterton is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Masterton are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Masterton gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.