😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,486 in Hachioji versus $1,232 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,177 in Hachioji versus $2,054 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,868 in Hachioji versus $2,876 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Hachioji is roughly 21% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Hachioji is 9% above, Phuket is 10% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Hachioji
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.40¥846
$4.41฿147
22.45%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$31.79¥4,987
$32.26฿1,074
-1.46%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.80¥752
$8.93฿297
-46.25%
Cappuccino
$3.25¥509
$2.90฿96.4
12.07%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.86¥135
$0.88฿29.30
-2.27%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.66¥103
$0.48฿16.01
37.50%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.62¥410
$2.35฿78.3
11.49%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.33¥523
$3.72฿124
-10.48%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Hachioji
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.30¥204
$1.87฿62.1
-30.48%
White Bread(500g)
$1.49¥234
$1.47฿48.81
1.36%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$4.46¥700
$1.55฿51.7
187.74%
Eggs
$2.18¥342
$2.10฿70.0
3.81%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.13¥1,745
$19.59฿652
-43.19%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.64¥1,041
$3.42฿114
94.15%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$17.93¥2,812
$11.38฿379
57.56%
Apples(1kg)
$5.12¥804
$2.98฿99.3
71.81%
Banana(1kg)
$2.37¥372
$1.68฿56.1
41.07%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.17¥497
$2.21฿73.5
43.44%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.31¥676
$2.16฿72.0
99.54%
Potato(1kg)
$2.60¥407
$1.52฿50.8
71.05%
Onion(1kg)
$2.46¥386
$1.34฿44.55
83.58%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.29¥202
$1.13฿37.57
14.16%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84¥132
$0.55฿18.19
52.73%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.00¥627
$4.26฿142
-6.10%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.61¥1,193
$19.09฿635
-60.14%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.65¥416
$1.78฿59.2
48.88%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.12¥332
$2.78฿92.6
-23.74%
🚌 Getting Around
Hachioji
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.91¥143
$2.23฿74.2
-59.19%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$58.7¥9,206
$22.74฿757
158.09%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.26¥511
$3.03฿101
7.59%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.82¥599
$1.02฿34.06
274.51%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$19.86¥3,115
$3.89฿130
410.54%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.06¥166
$1.49฿49.63
-28.86%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.7K¥3.4M
$26.6K฿884.9K
-18.20%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$15.5K¥2.4M
$27.0K฿899.8K
-42.58%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hachioji
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$135¥21.2K
$102฿3,411
31.82%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.48¥3,369
$11.33฿377
89.59%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$36.66¥5,751
$17.40฿579
110.69%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Hachioji
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.0¥8,162
$52.1฿1,734
-0.08%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.86¥4,056
$11.07฿369
133.60%
Cinema Ticket
$13.58¥2,129
$7.69฿256
76.59%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Hachioji
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$517¥81.1K
$561฿18.7K
-7.81%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.7K¥1.8M
$11.5K฿383.0K
1.41%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Hachioji
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$50.4¥7,904
$63.0฿2,098
-20.05%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.99¥5,175
$29.52฿983
11.75%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$61.2¥9,592
$98.0฿3,263
-37.62%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$93.1¥14.6K
$88.5฿2,946
5.24%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Hachioji
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$961¥150.7K
$738฿24.6K
30.12%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$576¥90.3K
$482฿16.1K
19.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,648¥258.5K
$2,107฿70.1K
-21.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$958¥150.2K
$1,226฿40.8K
-21.86%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,818¥598.9K
$3,617฿120.4K
5.57%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,813¥284.4K
$2,603฿86.7K
-30.34%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Hachioji
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,796¥438.5K
$494฿16.4K
466.38%
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 Hachioji: September 14, 2026
Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $961 in Hachioji and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Hachioji pays 466% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $32.00 in Hachioji vs $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $310 vs $274, with Phuket cheaper for home cooking.
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
Hachioji vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Hachioji or Phuket?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 21% lower than in Hachioji. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Hachioji or in Phuket?
Average pay runs 466% higher in Hachioji, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Hachioji compared to Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $961 in Hachioji versus $738 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Hachioji or in Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Hachioji. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How do dining costs compare in Hachioji and in Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $32.00 in Hachioji. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Hachioji or in Phuket?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,486 in Hachioji, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Hachioji. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Hachioji or Phuket?
Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,232 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.
How safe is Hachioji compared to Phuket?
Safety-wise, Hachioji 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Hachioji. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.