🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $966 in Port Mathurin versus $1,232 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,587 in Port Mathurin versus $2,255 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,209 in Port Mathurin versus $3,279 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 Mathurin28% lower, Phuket8% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Port Mathurin
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.50MUR 304
$4.63฿151
40.39%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.18MUR 2,065
$46.84฿1,523
-5.68%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.50MUR 304
$8.84฿287
-26.47%
Cappuccino
$2.57MUR 120
$3.00฿97.4
-14.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.03MUR 48.09
$0.74฿24.11
39.19%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.57MUR 26.53
$0.37฿11.88
54.05%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.08MUR 97.2
$2.44฿79.3
-14.75%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78MUR 130
$3.61฿117
-22.99%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Port Mathurin
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.44MUR 67.6
$2.26฿73.5
-36.28%
White Bread(500g)
$0.70MUR 32.73
$1.84฿59.8
-61.96%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.31MUR 61.3
$2.24฿73.0
-41.52%
Eggs
$2.35MUR 110
$2.32฿75.3
1.29%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.71MUR 454
$19.67฿639
-50.64%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.36MUR 297
$3.65฿119
74.25%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.46MUR 489
$13.10฿426
-20.15%
Apples(1kg)
$2.01MUR 93.8
$3.39฿110
-40.71%
Banana(1kg)
$1.98MUR 92.5
$1.64฿53.4
20.73%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.50MUR 70.3
$2.41฿78.5
-37.76%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.61MUR 122
$2.03฿66.0
28.57%
Potato(1kg)
$0.98MUR 46.01
$1.56฿50.6
-37.18%
Onion(1kg)
$0.99MUR 46.09
$1.50฿48.66
-34.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.84MUR 39.44
$1.02฿33.30
-17.65%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.54MUR 25.08
$0.49฿15.91
10.20%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.93MUR 277
$4.45฿145
33.26%
Wine(Bottle)
$9.32MUR 436
$18.88฿614
-50.64%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78MUR 83.1
$1.78฿57.7
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.19MUR 102
$2.75฿89.5
-20.36%
🚌 Getting Around
Port Mathurin
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.01MUR 47.11
$1.40฿45.54
-27.86%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.48฿373
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.41MUR 206
$3.12฿101
41.35%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.61MUR 122
$1.00฿32.48
161.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$15.20MUR 711
$14.09฿458
7.88%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.46MUR 68.4
$1.35฿43.93
8.15%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.6KMUR 1.7M
$27.2K฿883.7K
31.11%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.3KMUR 1.4M
$32.9K฿1.1M
-10.87%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Port Mathurin
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$49.07MUR 2,294
$125฿4,063
-60.74%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.38MUR 859
$13.57฿441
35.45%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.01MUR 1,497
$18.52฿602
72.84%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Port Mathurin
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$38.21MUR 1,786
$61.5฿1,999
-37.85%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.84฿547
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.03MUR 282
$9.19฿299
-34.39%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Port Mathurin
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$151MUR 7,073
$698฿22.7K
-78.33%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,007MUR 187.3K
$15.6K฿506.9K
-74.30%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Port Mathurin
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.99MUR 2,337
$57.8฿1,878
-13.45%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.42MUR 2,077
$35.24฿1,146
26.05%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$81.0MUR 3,785
$113฿3,677
-28.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$77.8MUR 3,638
$86.4฿2,808
-9.90%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Port Mathurin
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$512MUR 23.9K
$616฿20.0K
-16.86%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$345MUR 16.1K
$446฿14.5K
-22.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$966MUR 45.2K
$2,048฿66.6K
-52.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$725MUR 33.9K
$1,492฿48.5K
-51.40%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,779฿122.8K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,649฿86.1K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Port Mathurin
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$524฿17.0K
-
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: April 27, 2026
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $512 in Port Mathurin and $616 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 $216 vs $292 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 $1,449 in Port Mathurin and $1,847 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: $512 in Port Mathurin versus $616 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $151 in Port Mathurin versus $698 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 $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 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