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: $1,223 in Phuket versus $1,518 in Masterton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Phuket versus $2,429 in Masterton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,251 in Phuket versus $3,341 in Masterton.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 19% less than in Masterton, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 8% below, Masterton is 14% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿147

$9.88 NZ$16.94

-54.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,515

$89.5 NZ$153

-47.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿276

$9.28 NZ$15.91

-8.51%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿100

$3.30 NZ$5.65

-6.67%

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

$0.68 ฿22.07

$2.15 NZ$3.68

-68.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.75

$1.60 NZ$2.74

-77.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿78.8

$3.64 NZ$6.24

-33.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿118

$4.12 NZ$7.06

-11.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.1

$1.53 NZ$2.63

43.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.0

$1.63 NZ$2.79

11.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿72.5

$1.17 NZ$2.00

90.60%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿72.7

$6.26 NZ$10.73

-64.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿637

$7.24 NZ$12.42

170.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿121

$9.13 NZ$15.65

-59.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿438

$12.34 NZ$21.15

9.16%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿109

$1.84 NZ$3.15

82.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿52.5

$1.88 NZ$3.22

-13.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.3

$2.46 NZ$4.22

-2.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.6

$3.45 NZ$5.92

-42.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.76

$1.39 NZ$2.38

10.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.19

$1.22 NZ$2.09

18.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿32.96

$1.78 NZ$3.06

-43.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.73

$0.91 NZ$1.56

-47.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿139

$20.11 NZ$34.47

-78.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿621

$11.86 NZ$20.34

61.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿59.7

$2.34 NZ$4.02

-21.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.1

$2.61 NZ$4.47

4.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.06

$2.48 NZ$4.25

-42.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

$63.1 NZ$108

-81.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿97.6

$2.37 NZ$4.06

26.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.00

$1.77 NZ$3.03

-40.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿452

$40.57 NZ$69.6

-65.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿41.94

$1.69 NZ$2.89

-23.67%

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

$28.0K ฿911.1K

$24.5K NZ$42.0K

14.33%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$23.6K NZ$40.5K

41.74%

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

$122 ฿3,964

$80.7 NZ$138

51.10%

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

$13.93 ฿453

$32.16 NZ$55.1

-56.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿613

$47.41 NZ$81.3

-60.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿1,992

$40.82 NZ$70.0

50.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

$8.83 NZ$15.15

90.71%

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿289

$8.34 NZ$14.30

6.59%

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

$691 ฿22.5K

$398 NZ$682

73.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿525.2K

$4,780 NZ$8,196

238.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$68.8 NZ$118

-16.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,150

$29.98 NZ$51.4

18.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,685

$104 NZ$178

9.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,698

$113 NZ$193

-26.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.7K

$797 NZ$1,366

-23.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.6K

$609 NZ$1,045

-26.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.0K

$1,262 NZ$2,164

60.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.5K

$1,078 NZ$1,849

38.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿116.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.4K

$2,491 NZ$4,271

-79.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.69

-20.33%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026

Last update for Masterton: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $607 in Phuket and $797 in Masterton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Masterton pays 394% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $89.0 in Masterton. Groceries flip the comparison at $292 vs $279, with Masterton cheaper for home cooking.

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

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Masterton earns 394% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $607 in Phuket versus $797 in Masterton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $89.0 in Masterton. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,223 per month in Phuket versus $1,518 in Masterton – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,223 in Phuket versus $1,518 in Masterton, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Masterton. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Masterton, 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Masterton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.