😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $966 in Port Mathurin.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $1,587 in Port Mathurin.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $2,209 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: Phuket8% lower, Port Mathurin28% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Port Mathurin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63฿151
$6.50MUR 304
-28.77%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84฿1,532
$44.18MUR 2,067
6.02%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿289
$6.50MUR 304
36.00%
Cappuccino
$3.00฿98.0
$2.57MUR 120
16.73%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74฿24.25
$1.03MUR 48.13
-28.16%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.95
$0.57MUR 26.55
-35.09%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.44฿79.8
$2.08MUR 97.3
17.31%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61฿118
$2.78MUR 130
29.86%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Port Mathurin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿73.9
$1.44MUR 67.6
56.94%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84฿60.1
$0.70MUR 32.75
162.86%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.24฿73.4
$1.31MUR 61.3
70.99%
Eggs
$2.32฿75.7
$2.35MUR 110
-1.28%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.67฿643
$9.71MUR 454
102.57%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿119
$6.36MUR 297
-42.61%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.10฿428
$10.46MUR 490
25.24%
Apples(1kg)
$3.39฿111
$2.01MUR 93.9
68.66%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64฿53.7
$1.98MUR 92.6
-17.17%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿79.0
$1.50MUR 70.4
60.67%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿66.4
$2.61MUR 122
-22.22%
Potato(1kg)
$1.56฿50.9
$0.98MUR 46.05
59.18%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿48.94
$0.99MUR 46.13
51.52%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02฿33.50
$0.84MUR 39.47
21.43%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.00
$0.54MUR 25.10
-9.26%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45฿145
$5.93MUR 277
-24.96%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.88฿617
$9.32MUR 436
102.58%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$1.78MUR 83.2
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75฿90.1
$2.19MUR 102
25.57%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Port Mathurin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.40฿45.81
$1.01MUR 47.15
38.61%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.48฿376
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.12฿102
$4.41MUR 206
-29.25%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00฿32.67
$2.61MUR 122
-61.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.09฿461
$15.20MUR 711
-7.30%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35฿44.19
$1.46MUR 68.4
-7.53%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2K฿888.9K
$35.6KMUR 1.7M
-23.73%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$29.3KMUR 1.4M
12.19%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Port Mathurin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125฿4,087
$49.07MUR 2,296
154.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿444
$18.38MUR 860
-26.17%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52฿606
$32.01MUR 1,498
-42.14%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Port Mathurin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.5฿2,010
$38.21MUR 1,788
60.90%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84฿551
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.19฿300
$6.03MUR 282
52.40%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Port Mathurin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$698฿22.8K
$151MUR 7,079
361.49%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6K฿509.9K
$4,007MUR 187.5K
289.17%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Port Mathurin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8฿1,889
$49.99MUR 2,339
15.54%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24฿1,152
$44.42MUR 2,079
-20.67%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,699
$81.0MUR 3,788
39.69%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4฿2,825
$77.8MUR 3,642
10.99%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Port Mathurin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$616฿20.1K
$512MUR 24.0K
20.28%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446฿14.6K
$345MUR 16.1K
29.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,048฿67.0K
$966MUR 45.2K
112.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿48.8K
$725MUR 33.9K
105.76%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,779฿123.6K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,649฿86.6K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Port Mathurin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$524฿17.1K
-
-
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: April 27, 2026
Last update for Port Mathurin: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $512 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 $292 vs $216 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 $1,847 in Phuket and $1,449 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: $616 in Phuket versus $512 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 $698 in Phuket versus $151 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 $966 in Port Mathurin versus $1,232 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.