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 $611 in Mataram.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $985 in Mataram.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $1,360 in Mataram.

Living in Phuket is roughly 102% more expensive than in Mataram, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Mataram 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$0.95 Rp 16.9K

364.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$9.19 Rp 162.8K

251.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$3.31 Rp 58.6K

169.79%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$1.58 Rp 28.0K

83.54%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$0.42 Rp 7,461

109.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.33 Rp 5,866

45.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

-11.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$3.38 Rp 59.8K

10.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.35 Rp 24.0K

38.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$1.56 Rp 27.7K

-5.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$0.84 Rp 14.8K

84.52%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$1.51 Rp 26.8K

39.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$7.95 Rp 140.8K

146.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$3.05 Rp 54.0K

12.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$8.01 Rp 141.8K

42.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$2.09 Rp 37.0K

42.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.35 Rp 23.9K

24.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$1.77 Rp 31.4K

24.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$1.25 Rp 22.1K

72.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$1.32 Rp 23.4K

15.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$1.70 Rp 30.1K

-21.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

46.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.42 Rp 7,385

30.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$2.67 Rp 47.2K

59.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$20.74 Rp 367.2K

-7.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

-6.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$2.70 Rp 47.7K

2.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$0.32 Rp 5,673

596.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$0.49 Rp 8,601

518.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$0.33 Rp 5,886

209.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$3.13 Rp 55.3K

24.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$0.62 Rp 11.0K

140.32%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$22.6K Rp 400.1M

17.65%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$35.7K Rp 632.0M

-24.27%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$75.6 Rp 1.3M

35.54%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$4.06 Rp 71.9K

179.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$19.22 Rp 340.4K

-9.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$20.32 Rp 359.8K

156.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$7.23 Rp 128.1K

53.11%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$2.90 Rp 51.4K

165.17%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$106 Rp 1.9M

429.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$8,960 Rp 158.7M

28.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$46.12 Rp 816.6K

36.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$29.40 Rp 520.6K

0.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$72.7 Rp 1.3M

34.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$73.1 Rp 1.3M

21.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$231 Rp 4.1M

219.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$137 Rp 2.4M

252.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$641 Rp 11.3M

228.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$371 Rp 6.6M

230.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$1,312 Rp 23.2M

175.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$668 Rp 11.8M

289.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$227 Rp 4.0M

117.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

9.46

-41.12%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Mataram: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $231 in Mataram. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 118% 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $9.00 in Mataram for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $205 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 102% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $611 including rent). Mataram is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 118% 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: $738 in Phuket versus $231 in Mataram. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 33% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $611 in Mataram – a 102% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $611 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 102% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.