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: $1,264 in Phuket versus $558 in Mataram.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $861 in Mataram.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $1,163 in Mataram.

Living in Phuket is roughly 127% more expensive than in Mataram, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Mataram 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$1.11 Rp 20.1K

303.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$11.00 Rp 198.5K

314.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

284.21%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$1.80 Rp 32.5K

65.00%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.55 Rp 9,869

25.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.36 Rp 6,535

8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$2.63 Rp 47.5K

-3.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$3.67 Rp 66.2K

2.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.53 Rp 27.7K

40.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$1.61 Rp 29.1K

13.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$0.76 Rp 13.8K

186.84%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$1.37 Rp 24.8K

64.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$3.31 Rp 59.7K

504.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$3.59 Rp 64.8K

1.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$5.99 Rp 108.2K

126.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$1.72 Rp 31.0K

88.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.22 Rp 22.0K

34.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.89 Rp 34.1K

23.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

176.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$0.84 Rp 15.2K

84.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.80 Rp 32.5K

-18.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$0.48 Rp 8,639

104.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.32 Rp 5,695

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

144.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$15.33 Rp 276.7K

21.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$2.36 Rp 42.6K

-21.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$3.58 Rp 64.6K

-25.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.63 Rp 11.5K

125.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$18.41 Rp 332.4K

-37.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$0.51 Rp 9,185

521.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$0.31 Rp 5,661

232.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$3.08 Rp 55.7K

350.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$0.69 Rp 12.4K

94.20%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$23.3K Rp 420.7M

19.27%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$27.5K Rp 496.7M

21.32%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$50.4 Rp 909.6K

144.20%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$4.32 Rp 78.1K

218.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$19.37 Rp 349.8K

-5.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$26.95 Rp 486.5K

125.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$7.48 Rp 135.0K

129.41%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$2.10 Rp 38.0K

322.38%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$91.5 Rp 1.7M

651.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$4,217 Rp 76.1M

274.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$36.84 Rp 665.2K

60.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$24.43 Rp 441.0K

42.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$61.5 Rp 1.1M

87.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$40.48 Rp 730.8K

106.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$76.8 Rp 1.4M

709.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$128 Rp 2.3M

249.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$153 Rp 2.8M

1225.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$259 Rp 4.7M

477.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$1,155 Rp 20.8M

199.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$679 Rp 12.3M

272.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$192 Rp 3.5M

156.92%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Mataram: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $76.8 in Mataram. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 157% 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: $46.00 in Phuket vs $11.00 in Mataram for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $174 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 127% in total monthly costs ($1,264 vs $558 including rent). Mataram is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 157% higher in Phuket, 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: $621 in Phuket versus $76.8 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 $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $558 in Mataram versus $1,264 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 127% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.