Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chang-hua and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Chang-hua: $864 a month against $1,207 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $4,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Phuket outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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Cost of Living Index in Chang-hua
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Chang-hua Living Index
59

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index

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Chang-hua

🇹🇼 Taiwan

$864

/mo nomad

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,207

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chang-hua and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chang-hua and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $864 per month in Chang-hua vs $1,207 in Phuket, rent included.

Chang-hua $864
Phuket $1,207

A couple spends around $1,343 per month in Chang-hua vs $2,037 in Phuket, rent included.

Chang-hua $1,343
Phuket $2,037

A family of three spends $1,822 per month in Chang-hua vs $2,867 in Phuket, rent included.

Chang-hua $1,822
Phuket $2,867

Chang-hua is about 28% cheaper than Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chang-hua and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Chang-hua 36% lower, Phuket 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.83 NT$124

$4.58 ฿153

-16.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.76 NT$1,062

$32.48 ฿1,086

0.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.53 NT$179

$8.55 ฿286

-35.32%

Cappuccino

$1.63 NT$52.7

$2.72 ฿91.0

-40.07%

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

$0.96 NT$30.99

$0.94 ฿31.25

2.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 NT$18.01

$0.49 ฿16.39

14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 NT$44.21

$2.59 ฿86.6

-47.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 NT$70.3

$3.83 ฿128

-43.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.38 NT$77.1

$1.74 ฿58.1

36.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.07 NT$67.2

$1.43 ฿47.82

44.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.94 NT$95.5

$1.53 ฿51.0

92.16%

Eggs

$2.76 NT$89.5

$2.17 ฿72.7

27.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 NT$525

$19.15 ฿640

-15.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.51 NT$308

$3.30 ฿110

188.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.23 NT$688

$11.14 ฿372

90.57%

Apples (1kg)

$4.82 NT$156

$2.95 ฿98.5

63.39%

Banana (1kg)

$3.38 NT$110

$1.68 ฿56.1

101.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.93 NT$95.1

$2.30 ฿76.8

27.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.17 NT$103

$2.13 ฿71.3

48.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.77 NT$89.8

$1.53 ฿51.1

81.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 NT$68.4

$1.36 ฿45.55

55.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 NT$54.9

$1.12 ฿37.44

50.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 NT$24.97

$0.55 ฿18.24

40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 NT$128

$4.26 ฿142

-7.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.43 NT$306

$18.19 ฿608

-48.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 NT$44.70

$1.74 ฿58.2

-20.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 NT$74.4

$2.79 ฿93.3

-17.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.55 NT$50.4

$2.22 ฿74.1

-30.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.80 NT$1,129

$22.06 ฿737

57.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 NT$85.9

$2.91 ฿97.3

-8.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 NT$24.71

$1.01 ฿33.79

-24.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.29 NT$301

$3.83 ฿128

142.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 NT$34.39

$1.49 ฿49.85

-28.86%

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

$33.1K NT$1.1M

$26.7K ฿891.6K

24.21%

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

$24.3K NT$787.5K

$26.7K ฿892.7K

-9.09%

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

$31.62 NT$1,025

$99.4 ฿3,321

-68.18%

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

$16.99 NT$551

$11.28 ฿377

50.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.71 NT$607

$17.36 ฿580

7.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.75 NT$1,029

$52.3 ฿1,747

-39.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.85 ฿362

Cinema Ticket

$9.38 NT$304

$7.57 ฿253

23.91%

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

$636 NT$20.6K

$558 ฿18.7K

13.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,946 NT$257.7K

$11.5K ฿383.9K

-30.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.35 NT$1,600

$62.9 ฿2,102

-21.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.47 NT$502

$28.58 ฿955

-45.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.1 NT$2,534

$96.1 ฿3,213

-18.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.57 NT$1,607

$88.1 ฿2,943

-43.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$252 NT$8,160

$729 ฿24.4K

-65.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$170 NT$5,528

$460 ฿15.4K

-62.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$509 NT$16.5K

$2,096 ฿70.0K

-75.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$169 NT$5,480

$1,222 ฿40.8K

-86.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,959 NT$96.0K

$3,459 ฿115.6K

-14.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,631 NT$52.9K

$2,489 ฿83.2K

-34.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,011 NT$65.2K

$493 ฿16.5K

307.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.2

5.57

-60.50%

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

Last update for Chang-hua: October 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Chang-hua

$358 41.4%

Phuket

$268 22.2% 25.3% $90

Accommodation & Living

Chang-hua

$170 19.7%

Phuket

$460 38.1% 170% $290

Clothing & Footwear

Chang-hua

$87 10%

Phuket

$124 10.3% 43.2% $37

Eating Out

Chang-hua

$84 9.7%

Phuket

$121 10.1% 44.5% $37

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chang-hua

$67 7.8%

Phuket

$128 10.6% 90.1% $61

Sport & Entertainment

Chang-hua

$51 5.8%

Phuket

$67 5.6% 33.5% $17

Getting Around

Chang-hua

$47 5.5%

Phuket

$39 3.2% 18.1% $8.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $252 in Chang-hua versus $729 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 308% higher in Chang-hua, 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 $33.00 in Chang-hua versus $32.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $358 vs $268 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇼 Chang-hua

🇹🇭 Phuket

🕒 Local time

08:15 8:15 AM

07:15 7:15 AM

1 h behind Chang-hua

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

226,564

79,308

💱 Currency

New Taiwan Dollar TWD NT$

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

100 TWD = 3.08 USD

100 TWD = 2.74 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to TWD – New Taiwan Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇼 New Taiwan Dollar (NT$)

New Taiwan Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 32.43 TWD (100 TWD = 3.08 USD). 1 EUR = 36.46 TWD (100 TWD = 2.74 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to TWD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chang-hua Phuket 2,970 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Chang-hua
Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Chang-hua vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 40% more than Chang-hua, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,296 per month in Chang-hua and $1,811 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $864 in Chang-hua and $1,207 in Phuket. That's a gap of about 40%.

Public transport costs about 58% less in Chang-hua. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chang-hua, where all-in costs run around $864, than in Phuket at $1,207. In Chang-hua it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chang-hua costs $864 versus $1,207 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 Chang-hua. 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.