Cost of Living Comparison Between Akita and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Akita and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,195 per month in Akita vs $1,253 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,907 per month in Akita vs $2,043 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,620 per month in Akita vs $2,833 in Phuket, rent included.

Akita is about 5% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Akita and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Akita 13% lower, Phuket 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.42 ¥999

$4.56 ฿150

40.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.94 ¥4,815

$32.62 ฿1,073

-5.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.83 ¥752

$8.90 ฿293

-45.73%

Cappuccino

$2.96 ¥461

$2.80 ฿92.2

5.71%

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

$0.91 ¥142

$0.88 ฿28.94

3.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ¥129

$0.49 ฿16.08

69.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 ¥284

$2.39 ฿78.5

-23.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ¥500

$3.71 ฿122

-13.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 ¥230

$1.79 ฿58.8

-17.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 ¥239

$1.44 ฿47.40

6.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.08 ¥635

$1.58 ฿52.1

158.23%

Eggs

$1.98 ¥309

$2.13 ฿69.9

-7.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.64 ¥1,501

$19.92 ฿655

-51.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.35 ¥988

$3.43 ฿113

85.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.31 ¥2,849

$11.33 ฿372

61.61%

Apples (1kg)

$5.00 ¥778

$2.95 ฿97.0

69.49%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 ¥404

$1.72 ฿56.6

50.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 ¥482

$2.32 ฿76.5

33.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.59 ¥714

$2.08 ฿68.4

120.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 ¥389

$1.47 ฿48.34

70.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.29 ¥356

$1.36 ฿44.65

68.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 ¥192

$1.10 ฿36.13

11.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 ¥113

$0.57 ฿18.89

28.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.80 ¥591

$4.27 ฿140

-11.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.70 ¥1,198

$18.42 ฿606

-58.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ¥251

$1.87 ฿61.5

-13.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ¥329

$2.92 ฿96.1

-27.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ¥218

$2.22 ฿73.0

-36.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.9 ¥8,698

$22.90 ฿753

144.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 ¥434

$3.03 ฿99.6

-7.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.86 ¥445

$1.07 ฿35.32

167.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.38 ¥2,860

$3.93 ฿129

367.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 ¥205

$1.49 ฿49.06

-11.41%

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

$21.2K ¥3.3M

$27.1K ฿892.0K

-22.02%

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

$15.2K ¥2.4M

$27.5K ฿902.6K

-44.77%

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

$133 ¥20.7K

$103 ฿3,380

29.22%

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

$20.52 ¥3,194

$10.99 ฿361

86.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.40 ¥4,887

$17.51 ฿576

79.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.83 ¥7,755

$53.5 ฿1,760

-6.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$11.87 ¥1,847

$7.48 ฿246

58.69%

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

$539 ¥83.8K

$557 ฿18.3K

-3.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ¥1.8M

$11.9K ฿389.7K

-2.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.18 ¥6,565

$64.1 ฿2,107

-34.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.06 ¥4,990

$29.07 ฿956

10.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ¥13.3K

$96.0 ฿3,155

-10.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.6 ¥13.9K

$90.3 ฿2,970

-0.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 ¥73.9K

$730 ฿24.0K

-34.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$320 ¥49.8K

$500 ฿16.4K

-35.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,046 ¥162.8K

$2,090 ฿68.7K

-49.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$745 ¥115.9K

$1,209 ฿39.8K

-38.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,648 ¥723.5K

$3,596 ฿118.2K

29.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,658 ¥258.1K

$2,512 ฿82.6K

-34.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,573 ¥244.8K

$503 ฿16.6K

212.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.06

5.57

-63.02%

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

Last update for Akita: August 30, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Akita versus $730 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 212% higher in Akita, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Akita versus $33.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $299 in Akita vs $273 in Phuket – so Phuket wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Akita vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 5% more than Akita, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,792 per month in Akita and $1,880 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Akita, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 144% less in Akita. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $539 per month in Akita and $557 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Akita, where all-in costs run around $1,195, than in Phuket at $1,253. In Akita it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Akita costs $1,195 versus $1,253 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Akita. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.