Cost of Living Comparison Between Rarotonga and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Rarotonga and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,349 in Rarotonga versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,010 in Rarotonga versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,671 in Rarotonga versus $3,248 in Phuket.

Living in Rarotonga is roughly 7% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Rarotonga is 1% above, Phuket is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.18 NZ$20.99

$4.48 ฿150

171.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.7 NZ$103

$45.59 ฿1,525

31.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.40 NZ$12.75

$8.76 ฿293

-15.53%

Cappuccino

$4.40 NZ$7.59

$2.97 ฿99.3

48.15%

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

$3.24 NZ$5.58

$0.69 ฿22.96

369.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 NZ$4.78

$0.39 ฿13.07

610.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.57 NZ$11.32

$2.53 ฿84.7

159.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.47 NZ$9.42

$3.75 ฿125

45.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 NZ$3.79

$2.15 ฿71.8

2.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.96 NZ$5.10

$1.82 ฿60.7

62.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 NZ$2.66

$2.18 ฿73.1

-29.36%

Eggs

$6.53 NZ$11.25

$2.25 ฿75.2

190.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.00 NZ$15.50

$20.00 ฿669

-55.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.44 NZ$12.83

$3.63 ฿121

104.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.14 NZ$12.30

$13.56 ฿453

-47.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 NZ$5.23

$3.24 ฿109

-6.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.95 NZ$5.08

$1.64 ฿54.7

79.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.60 NZ$6.20

$2.33 ฿78.0

54.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.99 NZ$5.15

$2.07 ฿69.3

44.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 NZ$3.16

$1.55 ฿51.8

18.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 NZ$2.46

$1.46 ฿48.67

-2.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 NZ$3.17

$0.98 ฿32.94

87.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.69 NZ$6.36

$0.48 ฿16.13

668.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.19 NZ$26.17

$4.35 ฿146

249.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.59 NZ$19.97

$18.57 ฿621

-37.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.58 NZ$6.17

$1.86 ฿62.1

92.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.54 NZ$9.54

$2.65 ฿88.8

109.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 NZ$5.04

$1.42 ฿47.40

105.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿387

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$21.41 NZ$36.89

$3.17 ฿106

575.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.51

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.68 NZ$61.5

$13.89 ฿465

156.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 NZ$3.18

$1.34 ฿44.96

38.06%

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

$12.3K NZ$21.2K

$27.8K ฿929.6K

-55.82%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

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

$91.0 NZ$157

$123 ฿4,116

-26.02%

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

$30.60 NZ$52.7

$13.77 ฿461

122.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$104 NZ$178

$18.33 ฿613

464.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.87 NZ$42.85

$60.7 ฿2,030

-59.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.43 NZ$42.09

$17.16 ฿574

42.37%

Cinema Ticket

$6.97 NZ$12.01

$8.87 ฿297

-21.42%

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

$688 ฿23.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,456 NZ$2,509

$15.8K ฿527.8K

-90.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,984

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,160

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,853

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,802

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$488 NZ$841

$621 ฿20.8K

-21.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 NZ$824

$446 ฿14.9K

7.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$732 NZ$1,261

$2,034 ฿68.0K

-64.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$718 NZ$1,237

$1,496 ฿50.0K

-52.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,049 NZ$6,977

$494 ฿16.5K

720.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

50.09%

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

Last update for Rarotonga: July 28, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $488 in Rarotonga and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rarotonga pays 720% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $60.0 in Rarotonga vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $344 vs $291 per month, with Phuket 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

Rarotonga vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 720% higher in Rarotonga, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $488 in Rarotonga versus $621 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Rarotonga. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $60.0 in Rarotonga. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,349 in Rarotonga, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Rarotonga. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Rarotonga 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.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Rarotonga. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.