Cost of Living Comparison Between Asahikawa and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Asahikawa and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,210 per month in Asahikawa vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,941 per month in Asahikawa vs $2,054 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,673 per month in Asahikawa vs $2,876 in Phuket, rent included.

Asahikawa is about 2% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Asahikawa and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Asahikawa 12% lower, Phuket 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.68 ¥1,043

$4.41 ฿147

51.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.85 ¥5,130

$32.26 ฿1,073

1.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.18 ¥809

$8.93 ฿297

-41.99%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ¥474

$2.90 ฿96.3

4.48%

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

$1.03 ¥161

$0.88 ฿29.27

17.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 ¥117

$0.48 ฿16.00

56.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 ¥361

$2.35 ฿78.2

-1.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 ¥537

$3.72 ฿124

-7.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 ¥226

$1.87 ฿62.0

-22.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ¥228

$1.47 ฿48.75

-0.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.30 ¥672

$1.55 ฿51.6

177.42%

Eggs

$1.89 ¥294

$2.10 ฿69.9

-10.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.82 ¥1,689

$19.59 ฿651

-44.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.84 ¥1,068

$3.42 ฿114

100.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.80 ¥2,468

$11.38 ฿378

38.84%

Apples (1kg)

$5.68 ¥887

$2.98 ฿99.2

90.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 ¥355

$1.68 ฿56.0

35.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.86 ¥447

$2.21 ฿73.5

29.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.32 ¥674

$2.16 ฿71.9

100.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.90 ¥454

$1.52 ฿50.7

90.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.59 ¥405

$1.34 ฿44.49

93.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 ¥215

$1.13 ฿37.53

22.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ¥116

$0.55 ฿18.17

34.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ¥689

$4.26 ฿142

3.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.11 ¥1,267

$19.09 ฿635

-57.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ¥289

$1.78 ฿59.2

3.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ¥339

$2.78 ฿92.5

-21.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 ¥252

$2.23 ฿74.1

-27.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.9 ¥9,672

$22.74 ฿756

172.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.88 ¥451

$3.03 ฿101

-4.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.14 ¥491

$1.02 ฿34.02

207.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.83 ¥2,941

$3.89 ฿129

384.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ¥194

$1.49 ฿49.57

-16.78%

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

$21.9K ¥3.4M

$26.6K ฿883.8K

-17.59%

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

$13.8K ¥2.1M

$27.0K ฿898.7K

-49.09%

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

$145 ¥22.6K

$102 ฿3,407

41.50%

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

$22.25 ¥3,474

$11.33 ฿377

96.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.34 ¥5,676

$17.40 ฿578

108.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.40 ¥7,402

$52.1 ฿1,732

-8.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$10.54 ¥1,646

$7.69 ฿256

37.06%

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

$607 ¥94.8K

$561 ฿18.6K

8.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$11.5K ฿382.6K

15.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ¥9,018

$63.0 ฿2,096

-8.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.96 ¥5,616

$29.52 ฿982

21.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.8 ¥9,647

$98.0 ฿3,259

-36.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.3 ¥13.5K

$88.5 ฿2,943

-2.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$491 ¥76.6K

$738 ฿24.5K

-33.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$296 ¥46.2K

$482 ฿16.0K

-38.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$971 ¥151.7K

$2,107 ฿70.0K

-53.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$710 ¥110.9K

$1,226 ฿40.8K

-42.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,277 ¥511.8K

$3,617 ฿120.3K

-9.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,817 ¥283.7K

$2,603 ฿86.5K

-30.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.09

5.57

-62.48%

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

Last update for Asahikawa: September 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $491 in Asahikawa versus $738 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Asahikawa versus $32.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $301 vs $274 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Asahikawa vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,210 in Asahikawa, $1,232 in Phuket – roughly 2% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,814 per month in Asahikawa and $1,847 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 172% less in Asahikawa. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $607 per month in Asahikawa and $561 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Asahikawa, where all-in costs run around $1,210, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Asahikawa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,210 in Asahikawa to $1,232 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Asahikawa. 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.