🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $985 in Port Mathurin versus $1,261 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,595 in Port Mathurin versus $2,286 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,206 in Port Mathurin versus $3,310 in Phuket.
🙂Living in Port Mathurin costs roughly 22% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Port Mathurin27% lower, Phuket6% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Port Mathurin
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.63MUR 312
$4.56฿149
45.39%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.65MUR 2,056
$46.63฿1,519
-6.39%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.49MUR 305
$8.47฿276
-23.38%
Cappuccino
$2.69MUR 127
$3.03฿98.6
-11.22%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.04MUR 48.85
$0.69฿22.45
50.72%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.60MUR 28.40
$0.37฿11.92
62.16%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.14MUR 101
$2.49฿81.0
-14.06%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74MUR 129
$3.66฿119
-25.14%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Port Mathurin
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.47MUR 69.2
$2.18฿71.0
-32.57%
White Bread(500g)
$0.66MUR 31.31
$1.90฿62.0
-65.26%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.31MUR 61.7
$2.20฿71.6
-40.45%
Eggs
$2.27MUR 107
$2.22฿72.4
2.25%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.16MUR 479
$19.99฿651
-49.17%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.27MUR 295
$3.66฿119
71.31%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.48MUR 493
$13.25฿432
-20.91%
Apples(1kg)
$1.96MUR 92.4
$3.23฿105
-39.32%
Banana(1kg)
$1.92MUR 90.6
$1.70฿55.3
12.94%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.46MUR 68.6
$2.39฿78.0
-38.91%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.61MUR 123
$2.08฿67.7
25.48%
Potato(1kg)
$0.97MUR 45.77
$1.59฿51.8
-38.99%
Onion(1kg)
$0.94MUR 44.48
$1.48฿48.31
-36.49%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.84MUR 39.61
$1.03฿33.54
-18.45%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52MUR 24.65
$0.52฿16.83
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.06MUR 285
$4.25฿138
42.59%
Wine(Bottle)
$9.21MUR 434
$18.79฿612
-50.98%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.72MUR 81.1
$1.76฿57.2
-2.27%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.20MUR 103
$2.76฿89.8
-20.29%
🚌 Getting Around
Port Mathurin
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.03MUR 48.61
$1.36฿44.32
-24.26%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.36฿370
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.36MUR 205
$3.14฿102
38.85%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.59MUR 122
$1.04฿33.74
149.04%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$15.33MUR 722
$13.77฿448
11.33%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.46MUR 69.0
$1.34฿43.79
8.96%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.5KMUR 1.7M
$27.7K฿901.4K
28.28%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.9KMUR 1.4M
$33.9K฿1.1M
-14.80%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Port Mathurin
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$49.77MUR 2,343
$124฿4,025
-59.73%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.55MUR 874
$13.52฿440
37.20%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.56MUR 1,533
$18.69฿609
74.21%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Port Mathurin
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$37.57MUR 1,769
$61.8฿2,013
-39.23%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.25฿562
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.07MUR 286
$9.14฿298
-33.59%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Port Mathurin
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$155MUR 7,296
$703฿22.9K
-77.95%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$3,898MUR 183.6K
$15.9K฿517.0K
-75.44%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Port Mathurin
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$50.3MUR 2,367
$59.5฿1,937
-15.46%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.89MUR 2,067
$35.07฿1,142
25.15%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$83.0MUR 3,909
$115฿3,754
-27.99%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.1MUR 3,726
$84.1฿2,737
-5.85%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Port Mathurin
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$508MUR 23.9K
$619฿20.1K
-17.91%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$352MUR 16.6K
$433฿14.1K
-18.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$963MUR 45.4K
$2,062฿67.2K
-53.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$722MUR 34.0K
$1,511฿49.2K
-52.21%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,646฿118.7K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,626฿85.5K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Port Mathurin
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$507฿16.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.25
5.33
17.26%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Port Mathurin: June 6, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $508 in Port Mathurin and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $44.00 in Port Mathurin vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $215 vs $293 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
Port Mathurin vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Port Mathurin?
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 $1,477 in Port Mathurin and $1,892 in Phuket 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 Port Mathurin and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $508 in Port Mathurin versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $155 in Port Mathurin versus $703 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Port Mathurin or Phuket?
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 Port Mathurin or Phuket?
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 Port Mathurin or Phuket 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, Port Mathurin or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Port Mathurin and Phuket 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.
Port Mathurin vs other spots: cost of living compared