Cost of Living Comparison Between Fukuoka and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Fukuoka and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,291 per month in Fukuoka vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Fukuoka vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,818 per month in Fukuoka vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Fukuoka costs about 2% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Fukuoka and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Fukuoka 4% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.28 ¥1,324

$4.70 ฿154

76.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.70 ¥6,670

$45.37 ฿1,483

-8.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.15 ¥984

$8.43 ฿276

-27.05%

Cappuccino

$3.14 ¥503

$2.93 ฿95.7

7.17%

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

$1.03 ¥165

$0.69 ฿22.42

49.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 ¥132

$0.37 ฿12.00

121.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.65 ¥263

$2.41 ฿78.7

-31.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 ¥335

$3.72 ฿122

-43.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ¥265

$2.23 ฿73.0

-25.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ¥256

$1.83 ฿59.9

-12.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.06 ¥649

$2.17 ฿70.9

87.10%

Eggs

$2.62 ¥419

$2.21 ฿72.4

18.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.12 ¥3,378

$19.74 ฿645

6.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.24 ¥997

$3.63 ฿119

71.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.96 ¥3,353

$13.53 ฿442

54.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 ¥501

$3.28 ฿107

-4.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 ¥217

$1.61 ฿52.7

-15.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.42 ¥227

$2.41 ฿78.7

-41.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.96 ¥953

$2.08 ฿68.1

186.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 ¥431

$1.53 ฿49.97

75.82%

Onion (1kg)

$3.11 ¥497

$1.48 ฿48.41

110.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 ¥145

$0.99 ฿32.32

-9.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ¥120

$0.51 ฿16.68

47.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.78 ¥604

$4.41 ฿144

-14.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.08 ¥972

$19.38 ฿634

-68.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 ¥305

$1.78 ฿58.1

7.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ¥337

$2.71 ฿88.7

-22.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.76 ¥281

$1.37 ฿44.83

28.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.39 ¥6,780

$11.39 ฿372

272.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.74 ¥758

$3.02 ฿98.7

56.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.57 ¥732

$0.99 ฿32.51

361.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.52 ¥3,122

$14.10 ฿461

38.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥192

$1.36 ฿44.55

-11.76%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$28.2K ฿921.9K

-16.24%

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

$20.0K ¥3.2M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-39.36%

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

$216 ¥34.6K

$122 ฿3,978

77.54%

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

$27.65 ¥4,423

$13.57 ฿444

103.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.41 ¥5,664

$18.31 ฿599

93.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.1 ¥9,450

$60.2 ฿1,969

-1.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.48 ¥557

$17.14 ฿560

-79.70%

Cinema Ticket

$13.62 ¥2,179

$8.69 ฿284

56.73%

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

$416 ¥66.6K

$693 ฿22.7K

-39.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$15.7K ฿512.8K

-15.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.93 ¥6,866

$59.5 ฿1,946

-27.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.81 ¥4,767

$34.77 ฿1,137

-14.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.0 ¥10.6K

$115 ฿3,746

-42.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.7 ¥9,872

$83.3 ฿2,723

-25.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$547 ¥87.5K

$613 ฿20.0K

-10.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$300 ¥48.1K

$437 ฿14.3K

-31.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,035 ¥165.6K

$2,094 ฿68.5K

-50.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$695 ¥111.2K

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-53.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,425 ¥1.0M

$3,749 ฿122.6K

71.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,669 ¥426.9K

$2,616 ฿85.5K

2.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,531 ¥244.9K

$508 ฿16.6K

201.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.67

5.33

-68.67%

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

Last update for Fukuoka: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $547 in Fukuoka versus $613 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 201% higher in Fukuoka, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Fukuoka versus $45.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $329 in Fukuoka vs $293 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

Fukuoka vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,291 in Fukuoka, $1,265 in Phuket – roughly 2% apart. Fukuoka costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,937 per month in Fukuoka and $1,898 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $416 per month in Fukuoka and $693 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 12% more in Fukuoka, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Fukuoka at $1,291. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fukuoka it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Fukuoka has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,265 in Phuket to $1,291 in Fukuoka. 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 Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Fukuoka makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.