Cost of Living Comparison Between Chenzhou and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Chenzhou and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $728 per month in Chenzhou vs $1,247 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,144 per month in Chenzhou vs $2,276 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,560 per month in Chenzhou vs $3,306 in Phuket, rent included.

Chenzhou is about 42% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chenzhou and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Chenzhou 46% lower, Phuket 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.87 ¥19.58

$4.59 ฿147

-37.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.27 ¥145

$46.83 ฿1,500

-54.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 ¥34.03

$8.70 ฿279

-42.76%

Cappuccino

$1.43 ¥9.75

$2.92 ฿93.7

-51.03%

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

$0.46 ¥3.13

$0.68 ฿21.90

-32.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.85

$0.40 ฿12.69

-32.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.09 ¥7.42

$2.51 ฿80.3

-56.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 ¥12.67

$3.80 ฿122

-51.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 ¥13.61

$2.16 ฿69.2

-7.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.23 ¥15.25

$1.88 ฿60.3

18.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.73 ¥4.98

$2.16 ฿69.1

-66.20%

Eggs

$1.67 ¥11.37

$2.22 ฿71.1

-24.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.71 ¥107

$19.57 ฿627

-19.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.10 ¥21.14

$3.80 ฿122

-18.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.78 ¥60.0

$13.41 ฿430

-34.53%

Apples (1kg)

$0.54 ¥3.71

$3.26 ฿104

-83.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ¥7.44

$1.61 ฿51.6

-32.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.69 ¥4.71

$2.31 ฿73.9

-70.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.72

$2.06 ฿65.9

-45.15%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 ¥6.51

$1.61 ฿51.4

-40.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 ¥9.66

$1.44 ฿46.23

-2.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.47 ¥3.24

$1.03 ฿32.99

-54.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 ¥2.67

$0.48 ฿15.38

-18.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.78 ¥18.97

$4.50 ฿144

-38.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.51 ¥85.5

$19.18 ฿614

-34.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.45

$1.82 ฿58.4

-48.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 ¥9.64

$2.69 ฿86.2

-47.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ¥2.00

$1.38 ฿44.13

-78.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.74 ¥114

$11.76 ฿377

42.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 ¥8.69

$3.11 ฿99.5

-59.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 ¥1.75

$1.00 ฿32.16

-74.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.54 ¥58.3

$13.74 ฿440

-37.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ¥7.62

$1.30 ฿41.58

-13.85%

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

$20.7K ¥141.2K

$27.4K ฿876.5K

-24.42%

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

$21.5K ¥147.1K

$33.0K ฿1.1M

-34.78%

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

$42.88 ¥293

$125 ฿4,001

-65.66%

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

$12.53 ¥85.6

$13.74 ฿440

-8.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.53 ¥99.2

$18.61 ฿596

-21.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.09 ¥281

$60.6 ฿1,940

-32.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.76 ¥94.0

$17.15 ฿549

-19.77%

Cinema Ticket

$5.90 ¥40.28

$9.01 ฿289

-34.52%

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

$316 ¥2,161

$698 ฿22.4K

-54.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,346 ¥50.2K

$16.1K ฿516.2K

-54.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.7 ¥578

$59.2 ฿1,897

42.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.01 ¥212

$34.86 ฿1,117

-11.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.1 ¥567

$114 ฿3,659

-27.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.9 ¥471

$85.8 ฿2,749

-19.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$276 ¥1,883

$619 ฿19.8K

-55.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$191 ¥1,303

$437 ฿14.0K

-56.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$589 ¥4,022

$2,075 ฿66.5K

-71.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$356 ¥2,434

$1,509 ฿48.4K

-76.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,867 ¥19.6K

$3,764 ฿120.6K

-23.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,040 ¥13.9K

$2,694 ฿86.3K

-24.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$528 ฿16.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.89

5.33

-27.02%

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

Last update for Chenzhou: April 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $276 in Chenzhou versus $619 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 $21 in Chenzhou versus $47 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $203 vs $292 – making Chenzhou 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

Chenzhou vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $728 in Chenzhou, $1,247 in Phuket – roughly 71% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,092 per month in Chenzhou and $1,870 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 42% less in Chenzhou. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $316 per month in Chenzhou and $698 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 Chenzhou, where all-in costs run around $728, than in Phuket at $1,247. In Chenzhou 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 $728 in Chenzhou to $1,247 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 Chenzhou. 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.