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: $1,232 in Phuket versus $577 in Mataram.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $888 in Mataram.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $1,200 in Mataram.

Living in Phuket is roughly 114% 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

$4.63 ฿151

$1.05 Rp 18.3K

340.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$11.02 Rp 190.9K

325.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$2.25 Rp 39.0K

292.89%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$1.87 Rp 32.4K

60.43%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.55 Rp 9,529

34.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.36 Rp 6,243

2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$2.63 Rp 45.6K

-7.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$3.78 Rp 65.6K

-4.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.56 Rp 27.0K

44.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$1.68 Rp 29.1K

9.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$0.83 Rp 14.4K

169.88%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$1.36 Rp 23.6K

70.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$3.32 Rp 57.5K

492.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$3.53 Rp 61.2K

3.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$6.29 Rp 109.1K

108.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$1.70 Rp 29.5K

99.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.21 Rp 21.0K

35.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.86 Rp 32.3K

29.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$0.79 Rp 13.7K

156.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$0.79 Rp 13.7K

97.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$1.89 Rp 32.8K

-20.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$0.47 Rp 8,180

117.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.31 Rp 5,443

58.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$1.79 Rp 31.1K

148.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$16.27 Rp 282.1K

16.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$2.46 Rp 42.6K

-27.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$3.80 Rp 65.9K

-27.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$0.63 Rp 10.9K

122.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

$18.37 Rp 318.5K

-37.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$0.48 Rp 8,285

550.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$0.29 Rp 5,024

244.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$3.16 Rp 54.7K

345.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$0.65 Rp 11.2K

107.69%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$23.4K Rp 405.9M

16.08%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$28.0K Rp 485.3M

17.58%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$50.2 Rp 870.0K

148.96%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$4.39 Rp 76.2K

209.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$19.07 Rp 330.6K

-2.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$26.67 Rp 462.3K

130.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

$7.66 Rp 132.7K

119.84%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$2.10 Rp 36.3K

337.62%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$90.8 Rp 1.6M

668.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$4,319 Rp 74.9M

260.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$36.80 Rp 637.8K

56.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$24.84 Rp 430.6K

41.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$61.1 Rp 1.1M

85.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$40.16 Rp 696.1K

115.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$76.9 Rp 1.3M

700.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$128 Rp 2.2M

247.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$156 Rp 2.7M

1209.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$265 Rp 4.6M

463.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

$1,199 Rp 20.8M

215.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

$783 Rp 13.6M

238.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$202 Rp 3.5M

158.70%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Mataram: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $76.9 in Mataram. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 159% 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 $179 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 114% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $577 including rent). Mataram is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Phuket pays 159% 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: $616 in Phuket versus $76.9 in Mataram. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 63% 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 $577 in Mataram versus $1,232 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 114% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.