Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mataram Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mataram

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,223 in Phuket versus $574 in Mataram.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Phuket versus $866 in Mataram.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,251 in Phuket versus $1,157 in Mataram.

Living in Phuket is roughly 113% more expensive than Mataram, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Mataram 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿147

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

306.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,515

$11.11 Rp 196.8K

319.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿276

$2.33 Rp 41.2K

264.38%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿100

$1.79 Rp 31.7K

72.07%

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

$0.68 ฿22.07

$0.55 Rp 9,689

23.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.75

$0.37 Rp 6,469

-2.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿78.8

$2.64 Rp 46.8K

-7.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿118

$3.67 Rp 65.0K

-1.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.1

$1.50 Rp 26.6K

46.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.0

$1.64 Rp 29.0K

10.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿72.5

$0.77 Rp 13.7K

189.61%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿72.7

$1.40 Rp 24.9K

60.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿637

$3.16 Rp 55.9K

520.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿121

$3.66 Rp 64.9K

1.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿438

$6.21 Rp 110.1K

116.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿109

$1.66 Rp 29.3K

102.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿52.5

$1.20 Rp 21.2K

35.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.3

$1.86 Rp 33.0K

29.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.6

$0.74 Rp 13.2K

168.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.76

$0.85 Rp 15.1K

80.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.19

$1.88 Rp 33.4K

-22.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿32.96

$0.45 Rp 7,939

124.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.73

$0.31 Rp 5,561

54.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿139

$1.83 Rp 32.5K

133.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿621

$15.40 Rp 272.8K

24.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿59.7

$2.45 Rp 43.5K

-24.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.1

$3.61 Rp 64.0K

-24.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.06

$0.59 Rp 10.4K

140.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

$18.55 Rp 328.6K

-36.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿97.6

$0.47 Rp 8,370

538.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.00

$0.29 Rp 5,049

262.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿452

$3.14 Rp 55.6K

342.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿41.94

$0.68 Rp 12.0K

89.71%

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

$28.0K ฿911.1K

$23.8K Rp 421.4M

17.85%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$27.4K Rp 486.2M

22.07%

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

$122 ฿3,964

$50.3 Rp 891.1K

142.50%

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

$13.93 ฿453

$4.36 Rp 77.1K

219.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿613

$19.69 Rp 348.7K

-4.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿1,992

$26.88 Rp 476.3K

127.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

$7.90 Rp 139.9K

113.16%

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿289

$2.10 Rp 37.3K

323.33%

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

$691 ฿22.5K

$92.2 Rp 1.6M

649.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿525.2K

$4,306 Rp 76.3M

275.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$37.39 Rp 662.4K

54.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,150

$24.81 Rp 439.5K

42.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,685

$60.7 Rp 1.1M

86.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,698

$39.89 Rp 706.6K

108.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.7K

$76.0 Rp 1.3M

697.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.6K

$130 Rp 2.3M

244.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.0K

$153 Rp 2.7M

1227.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.5K

$261 Rp 4.6M

471.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿116.5K

$1,232 Rp 21.8M

190.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.0K

$710 Rp 12.6M

264.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.4K

$195 Rp 3.5M

158.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-40.78%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026

Last update for Mataram: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $607 in Phuket and $76.0 in Mataram. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 158% 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 $11.00 in Mataram for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $175 per month, with Mataram 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 Mataram: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Mataram differ by about 113% in total monthly costs ($1,223 vs $574 including rent). Mataram is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Phuket pays 158% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $607 in Phuket versus $76.0 in Mataram. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 67% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Mataram – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $574 in Mataram versus $1,223 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mataram but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Mataram the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Mataram 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 Mataram gentler on the wallet – expenses run 113% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.