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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $982 in Newcastle, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $1,521 in Newcastle, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $2,060 in Newcastle, rent included.

Phuket costs about 29% 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

$4.70 ฿153

$8.27 R 134

-43.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$33.31 R 541

36.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$4.78 R 77.8

76.36%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$2.02 R 32.84

45.05%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$1.02 R 16.63

-32.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.87 R 14.19

-57.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$2.30 R 37.30

4.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.87 R 46.66

29.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.19 R 19.34

87.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.07 R 17.39

71.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.24 R 20.22

75.00%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$1.73 R 28.07

27.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$6.09 R 99.0

224.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$4.52 R 73.4

-19.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$6.30 R 102

114.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$0.79 R 12.81

315.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$0.97 R 15.76

65.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$0.86 R 14.02

180.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.28 R 20.84

62.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$0.96 R 15.58

59.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$1.18 R 19.10

25.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.73 R 11.84

35.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.57 R 9.28

-10.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$2.76 R 44.93

59.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$3.11 R 50.6

523.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.29 R 21.03

37.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$0.80 R 13.02

238.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$1.61 R 26.18

-14.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$1.38 R 22.47

118.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$1.32 R 21.44

-25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$3.16 R 51.4

346.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.27 R 20.64

7.09%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$19.0K R 308.1K

48.76%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$25.8K R 418.9K

27.63%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$125 R 2,039

-3.01%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$37.53 R 610

-63.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$37.57 R 611

-51.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$31.53 R 512

90.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$7.72 R 126

12.56%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$200 R 3,243

247.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$4,285 R 69.6K

266.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$51.5 R 837

15.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$32.32 R 525

7.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$88.7 R 1,442

29.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$87.4 R 1,420

-4.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$366 R 5,954

67.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$338 R 5,487

29.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$678 R 11.0K

209.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$682 R 11.1K

121.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$973 R 15.8K

285.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$638 R 10.4K

310.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Newcastle: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 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 $45.00 in Phuket versus $33.00 in Newcastle. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $143 – 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: $1,265 in Phuket, $982 in Newcastle – roughly 29% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $1,472 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 $1,265 in Phuket and $982 in Newcastle. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $693 per month in Phuket and $200 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 $982, than in Phuket at $1,265. 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 $982 in Newcastle to $1,265 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.