Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Newcastle Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Newcastle

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $975 in Newcastle, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $1,511 in Newcastle, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $2,048 in Newcastle, rent included.

Phuket costs about 28% more than Newcastle, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Newcastle are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Newcastle 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$8.37 R 138

-45.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$34.22 R 565

34.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$4.73 R 78.1

86.89%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.01 R 33.21

52.24%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$1.02 R 16.77

-28.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.88 R 14.58

-54.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$2.27 R 37.42

7.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$2.83 R 46.72

33.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.17 R 19.25

93.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.02 R 16.91

77.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.22 R 20.22

84.43%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$1.73 R 28.53

30.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$6.27 R 103

211.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$4.44 R 73.3

-17.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$6.55 R 108

99.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$0.85 R 13.99

280.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.01 R 16.67

60.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$0.94 R 15.55

153.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$1.24 R 20.53

63.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$0.96 R 15.86

59.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.16 R 19.11

29.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$0.68 R 11.18

44.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.53 R 8.81

-1.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$2.73 R 45.00

62.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$3.09 R 50.9

492.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.34 R 22.09

38.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$0.87 R 14.30

208.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$1.62 R 26.75

-12.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$1.37 R 22.53

127.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$1.38 R 22.80

-24.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$2.99 R 49.35

371.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.25 R 20.66

4.80%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$19.1K R 315.0K

45.72%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$26.5K R 436.9K

25.48%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$125 R 2,067

-2.25%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$37.09 R 612

-63.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$38.87 R 642

-51.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$30.98 R 511

95.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$7.76 R 128

16.88%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$194 R 3,196

264.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$4,291 R 70.8K

268.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$50.2 R 829

16.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$31.60 R 522

11.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$86.5 R 1,427

33.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$87.8 R 1,448

-4.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$366 R 6,041

70.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$337 R 5,569

31.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$685 R 11.3K

197.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$705 R 11.6K

111.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$876 R 14.5K

297.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$608 R 10.0K

323.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

11.69

-54.41%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Newcastle: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Phuket versus $366 in Newcastle. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket versus $34.00 in Newcastle. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $144 – making Newcastle 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 Newcastle: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,250 in Phuket, $975 in Newcastle – roughly 28% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,875 per month in Phuket and $1,463 in Newcastle. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,250 in Phuket and $975 in Newcastle. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $706 per month in Phuket and $194 in Newcastle. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Newcastle, where all-in costs run around $975, than in Phuket at $1,250. In Newcastle 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 $975 in Newcastle to $1,250 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 Newcastle. 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.