😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $985 in Port Mathurin.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,595 in Port Mathurin.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $2,206 in Port Mathurin.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 28% more expensive than Port Mathurin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket6% lower, Port Mathurin27% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Port Mathurin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.56฿149
$6.63MUR 312
-31.22%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.63฿1,519
$43.65MUR 2,056
6.83%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.47฿276
$6.49MUR 305
30.51%
Cappuccino
$3.03฿98.6
$2.69MUR 127
12.64%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.45
$1.04MUR 48.85
-33.65%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.92
$0.60MUR 28.40
-38.33%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.49฿81.0
$2.14MUR 101
16.36%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66฿119
$2.74MUR 129
33.58%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Port Mathurin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.18฿71.0
$1.47MUR 69.2
48.30%
White Bread(500g)
$1.90฿62.0
$0.66MUR 31.31
187.88%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.20฿71.6
$1.31MUR 61.7
67.94%
Eggs
$2.22฿72.4
$2.27MUR 107
-2.20%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.99฿651
$10.16MUR 479
96.75%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.66฿119
$6.27MUR 295
-41.63%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.25฿432
$10.48MUR 493
26.43%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23฿105
$1.96MUR 92.4
64.80%
Banana(1kg)
$1.70฿55.3
$1.92MUR 90.6
-11.46%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.39฿78.0
$1.46MUR 68.6
63.70%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿67.7
$2.61MUR 123
-20.31%
Potato(1kg)
$1.59฿51.8
$0.97MUR 45.77
63.92%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.31
$0.94MUR 44.48
57.45%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03฿33.54
$0.84MUR 39.61
22.62%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52฿16.83
$0.52MUR 24.65
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.25฿138
$6.06MUR 285
-29.87%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.79฿612
$9.21MUR 434
104.02%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76฿57.2
$1.72MUR 81.1
2.33%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76฿89.8
$2.20MUR 103
25.45%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Port Mathurin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.36฿44.32
$1.03MUR 48.61
32.04%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.36฿370
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14฿102
$4.36MUR 205
-27.98%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿33.74
$2.59MUR 122
-59.85%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.77฿448
$15.33MUR 722
-10.18%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.34฿43.79
$1.46MUR 69.0
-8.22%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7K฿901.4K
$35.5KMUR 1.7M
-22.04%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.9K฿1.1M
$28.9KMUR 1.4M
17.37%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Port Mathurin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$124฿4,025
$49.77MUR 2,343
148.32%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.52฿440
$18.55MUR 874
-27.12%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.69฿609
$32.56MUR 1,533
-42.60%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Port Mathurin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.8฿2,013
$37.57MUR 1,769
64.55%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.25฿562
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.14฿298
$6.07MUR 286
50.58%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Port Mathurin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$703฿22.9K
$155MUR 7,296
353.50%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.9K฿517.0K
$3,898MUR 183.6K
307.20%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Port Mathurin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,937
$50.3MUR 2,367
18.28%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.07฿1,142
$43.89MUR 2,067
-20.10%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,754
$83.0MUR 3,909
38.86%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.1฿2,737
$79.1MUR 3,726
6.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Port Mathurin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$619฿20.1K
$508MUR 23.9K
21.82%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$433฿14.1K
$352MUR 16.6K
22.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,062฿67.2K
$963MUR 45.4K
114.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,511฿49.2K
$722MUR 34.0K
109.26%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,646฿118.7K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,626฿85.5K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Port Mathurin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$507฿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: June 7, 2026
Last update for Port Mathurin: June 6, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $508 in Port Mathurin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $44.00 in Port Mathurin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $215 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
Is Port Mathurin cheaper than Phuket?
Port Mathurin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,892 in Phuket and $1,477 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.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Port Mathurin?
Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $508 in Port Mathurin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $155 in Port Mathurin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or Port Mathurin?
Dining out is cheaper in Port Mathurin – a meal for two runs $44.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Port Mathurin?
At $985 in Port Mathurin versus $1,261 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.
Is Phuket or Port Mathurin more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Port Mathurin?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Port Mathurin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.