Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Matagalpa Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Matagalpa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,253 per month in Phuket vs $806 in Matagalpa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,043 per month in Phuket vs $1,227 in Matagalpa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,833 per month in Phuket vs $1,648 in Matagalpa, rent included.

Phuket costs about 55% more than Matagalpa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Matagalpa are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 9% lower, Matagalpa 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

$7.06 NIO 259

-35.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.62 ฿1,073

$24.72 NIO 905

31.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿293

$7.79 NIO 285

14.25%

Cappuccino

$2.80 ฿92.2

$2.54 NIO 93.0

10.24%

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

$0.88 ฿28.94

$0.81 NIO 29.53

8.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.08

$0.46 NIO 17.03

6.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.5

$1.19 NIO 43.46

100.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿122

$1.97 NIO 72.3

88.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿58.8

$1.24 NIO 45.45

44.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.40

$1.28 NIO 46.77

12.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.1

$1.70 NIO 62.4

-7.06%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$2.33 NIO 85.3

-8.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿655

$2.66 NIO 97.3

648.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿113

$4.13 NIO 151

-16.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿372

$6.79 NIO 249

66.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.0

$3.62 NIO 133

-18.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.6

$0.59 NIO 21.47

191.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿76.5

$1.77 NIO 64.7

31.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$2.18 NIO 79.8

-4.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.34

$3.94 NIO 144

-62.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿44.65

$2.25 NIO 82.6

-39.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.13

$1.00 NIO 36.78

10.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.89

$1.08 NIO 39.45

-47.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$2.69 NIO 98.4

58.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿606

$9.90 NIO 363

86.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿61.5

$1.25 NIO 45.80

49.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.1

$2.25 NIO 82.6

29.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿73.0

$0.23 NIO 8.24

865.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.6

$1.08 NIO 39.59

180.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.32

$1.27 NIO 46.48

-15.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

$6.60 NIO 242

-40.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.06

$1.31 NIO 48.00

13.74%

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

$27.1K ฿892.0K

$22.7K NIO 829.7K

19.75%

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

$27.5K ฿902.6K

$26.0K NIO 953.3K

5.46%

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

$103 ฿3,380

$60.3 NIO 2,209

70.42%

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

$10.99 ฿361

$17.06 NIO 625

-35.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿576

$36.51 NIO 1,337

-52.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,760

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

$8.30 NIO 304

-9.88%

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

$557 ฿18.3K

$237 NIO 8,676

135.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿389.7K

$6,112 NIO 223.9K

93.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,107

$71.4 NIO 2,615

-10.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿956

$73.0 NIO 2,674

-60.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,155

$135 NIO 4,948

-28.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,970

$106 NIO 3,893

-15.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

$197 NIO 7,226

270.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

$177 NIO 6,486

182.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.7K

$306 NIO 11.2K

583.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.8K

$251 NIO 9,192

381.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.6K

$200 NIO 7,336

151.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

10.25

-45.66%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Last update for Matagalpa: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $730 in Phuket versus $197 in Matagalpa. 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 151% higher in Phuket, 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 $33.00 in Phuket versus $25.00 in Matagalpa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $273 vs $194 – making Matagalpa 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 Matagalpa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,253 in Phuket, $806 in Matagalpa – roughly 55% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,880 per month in Phuket and $1,209 in Matagalpa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Matagalpa, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Phuket and $25.00 in Matagalpa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 41% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Matagalpa, where all-in costs run around $806, than in Phuket at $1,253. In Matagalpa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $806 in Matagalpa to $1,253 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Matagalpa. 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.