Cost of Living Comparison Between Foshan and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Foshan and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $772 in Foshan versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,233 in Foshan versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,693 in Foshan versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in Foshan costs roughly 38% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Foshan 44% lower, Phuket 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.64 ¥24.40

$4.56 ฿150

-20.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.46 ¥151

$32.62 ฿1,073

-31.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.15 ¥34.54

$8.90 ฿293

-42.13%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ¥19.77

$2.80 ฿92.2

5.36%

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

$0.48 ¥3.24

$0.88 ฿28.94

-45.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ¥2.10

$0.49 ฿16.08

-36.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.05 ¥7.05

$2.39 ฿78.5

-56.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 ¥10.23

$3.71 ฿122

-59.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ¥11.08

$1.79 ฿58.8

-7.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 ¥7.49

$1.44 ฿47.40

-22.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.21

$1.58 ฿52.1

-41.14%

Eggs

$1.75 ¥11.75

$2.13 ฿69.9

-17.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.75 ¥112

$19.92 ฿655

-15.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.94 ¥26.46

$3.43 ฿113

14.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.35 ¥69.4

$11.33 ฿372

-8.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 ¥20.65

$2.95 ฿97.0

4.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 ¥8.48

$1.72 ฿56.6

-26.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 ¥12.79

$2.32 ฿76.5

-17.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ¥10.61

$2.08 ฿68.4

-24.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 ¥7.25

$1.47 ฿48.34

-26.53%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 ¥6.33

$1.36 ฿44.65

-30.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 ¥3.97

$1.10 ฿36.13

-46.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ¥3.64

$0.57 ฿18.89

-5.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 ¥14.53

$4.27 ฿140

-49.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.38 ¥69.7

$18.42 ฿606

-43.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 ¥6.19

$1.87 ฿61.5

-50.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 ¥9.90

$2.92 ฿96.1

-49.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 ¥2.11

$2.22 ฿73.0

-86.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.44 ¥70.0

$22.90 ฿753

-54.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 ¥10.13

$3.03 ฿99.6

-50.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 ¥3.36

$1.07 ฿35.32

-53.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.18 ¥61.6

$3.93 ฿129

133.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥8.04

$1.49 ฿49.06

-19.46%

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

$21.0K ¥141.1K

$27.1K ฿892.0K

-22.46%

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

$15.9K ¥106.9K

$27.5K ฿902.6K

-41.97%

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

$84.5 ¥567

$103 ฿3,380

-17.84%

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

$7.90 ¥53.0

$10.99 ฿361

-28.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.05 ¥108

$17.51 ฿576

-8.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.5 ¥473

$53.5 ฿1,760

31.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.03 ¥154

$11.20 ฿368

105.63%

Cinema Ticket

$5.59 ¥37.51

$7.48 ฿246

-25.27%

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

$451 ¥3,026

$557 ฿18.3K

-19.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.4K ¥156.8K

$11.9K ฿389.7K

97.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.49 ¥285

$64.1 ฿2,107

-33.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.57 ¥125

$29.07 ฿956

-36.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.4 ¥412

$96.0 ฿3,155

-36.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.0 ¥624

$90.3 ฿2,970

2.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$292 ¥1,959

$730 ฿24.0K

-60.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$160 ¥1,075

$500 ฿16.4K

-67.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$597 ¥4,007

$2,090 ฿68.7K

-71.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$339 ¥2,274

$1,209 ฿39.8K

-71.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,278 ¥28.7K

$3,596 ฿118.2K

18.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,835 ¥12.3K

$2,512 ฿82.6K

-26.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$795 ¥5,332

$503 ฿16.6K

57.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.83

5.57

-31.24%

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

Last update for Foshan: September 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $292 in Foshan and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Foshan pays 58% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $22.00 in Foshan vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $220 vs $273 per month, with Foshan 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

Foshan vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Foshan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 62% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 58% higher in Foshan, 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: $292 in Foshan versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Foshan runs roughly 119% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $451 in Foshan versus $557 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $772 in Foshan versus $1,253 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Foshan but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Foshan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Foshan 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 Foshan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 62% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.