Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Port Mathurin Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Port Mathurin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $978 in Port Mathurin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,582 in Port Mathurin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $2,185 in Port Mathurin.

Living in Phuket is roughly 29% more expensive than in Port Mathurin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Port Mathurin 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$6.62 MUR 310

-32.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,523

$43.14 MUR 2,018

5.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$6.71 MUR 314

30.55%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.1

$2.58 MUR 121

15.12%

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

$0.69 ฿22.93

$0.97 MUR 45.60

-28.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.05

$0.57 MUR 26.58

-31.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.5

$2.16 MUR 101

17.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$2.70 MUR 126

38.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.7

$1.45 MUR 68.0

48.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$0.66 MUR 31.08

175.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿73.0

$1.32 MUR 61.7

65.15%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.1

$2.26 MUR 106

-0.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿668

$9.83 MUR 460

103.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$6.21 MUR 291

-41.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿453

$10.38 MUR 485

30.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$1.99 MUR 92.9

62.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.97 MUR 92.2

-16.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.9

$1.45 MUR 67.7

60.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.2

$2.63 MUR 123

-21.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.7

$0.98 MUR 45.84

58.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.60

$0.94 MUR 43.91

55.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.89

$0.79 MUR 36.96

24.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.11

$0.53 MUR 24.59

-9.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$6.16 MUR 288

-29.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$7.69 MUR 360

141.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.0

$1.74 MUR 81.2

6.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.7

$2.11 MUR 98.8

25.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.33

$1.05 MUR 49.00

35.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿387

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$4.53 MUR 212

-30.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.46

$2.72 MUR 127

-62.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿464

$15.61 MUR 730

-11.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.89

$1.39 MUR 65.1

-3.60%

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

$27.8K ฿928.2K

$35.9K MUR 1.7M

-22.64%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$28.7K MUR 1.3M

16.32%

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

$123 ฿4,110

$50.3 MUR 2,353

144.63%

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

$13.77 ฿460

$18.52 MUR 866

-25.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿612

$32.28 MUR 1,510

-43.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,027

$38.60 MUR 1,806

57.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$5.93 MUR 277

49.58%

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

$688 ฿23.0K

$156 MUR 7,293

341.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿527.0K

$3,926 MUR 183.7K

301.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,981

$51.4 MUR 2,404

15.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,159

$44.24 MUR 2,069

-21.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,847

$84.1 MUR 3,934

36.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,798

$78.1 MUR 3,652

7.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.8K

$508 MUR 23.8K

22.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$359 MUR 16.8K

24.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.9K

$932 MUR 43.6K

118.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿50.0K

$709 MUR 33.2K

111.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.25

-14.72%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Port Mathurin: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $508 in Port Mathurin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $43.00 in Port Mathurin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $210 per month, with Port Mathurin 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 Port Mathurin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Port Mathurin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 29% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,896 in Phuket and $1,467 in Port Mathurin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $621 in Phuket versus $508 in Port Mathurin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $688 in Phuket versus $156 in Port Mathurin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Port Mathurin – a meal for two runs $43.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $978 in Port Mathurin versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Port Mathurin but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Port Mathurin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Port Mathurin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Port Mathurin 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 Port Mathurin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.