Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamamatsu and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamamatsu and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $784 in Hamamatsu versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,297 in Hamamatsu versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,810 in Hamamatsu versus $2,876 in Phuket.

Living in Hamamatsu costs roughly 36% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Hamamatsu 43% lower, Phuket 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.91 ¥610

$4.41 ฿147

-11.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.33 ¥6,605

$32.26 ฿1,077

31.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.15 ¥804

$8.93 ฿298

-42.33%

Cappuccino

$3.46 ¥539

$2.90 ฿96.6

19.31%

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

$1.12 ¥175

$0.88 ฿29.38

27.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥118

$0.48 ฿16.06

58.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.61 ¥407

$2.35 ฿78.5

11.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ¥515

$3.72 ฿124

-11.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 ¥165

$1.87 ฿62.3

-43.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.73 ¥270

$1.47 ฿48.94

17.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.81 ¥595

$1.55 ฿51.8

145.81%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥263

$2.10 ฿70.1

-19.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.23 ¥1,908

$19.59 ฿654

-37.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 ¥965

$3.42 ฿114

80.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.72 ¥2,296

$11.38 ฿380

29.35%

Apples (1kg)

$5.71 ¥892

$2.98 ฿99.6

91.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.87 ¥449

$1.68 ฿56.2

70.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.87 ¥448

$2.21 ฿73.7

29.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.21 ¥657

$2.16 ฿72.1

94.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 ¥408

$1.52 ฿50.9

72.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 ¥422

$1.34 ฿44.67

101.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 ¥206

$1.13 ฿37.67

16.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ¥105

$0.55 ฿18.24

21.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.81 ¥595

$4.26 ฿142

-10.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.34 ¥989

$19.09 ฿637

-66.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ¥290

$1.78 ฿59.4

4.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥320

$2.78 ฿92.9

-26.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.7 ¥8,062

$22.74 ฿759

127.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 ¥508

$3.03 ฿101

7.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.57 ¥402

$1.02 ฿34.15

151.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.64 ¥3,221

$3.89 ฿130

430.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥170

$1.49 ฿49.77

-26.85%

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

$21.9K ¥3.4M

$26.6K ฿887.3K

-17.62%

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

$18.4K ¥2.9M

$27.0K ฿902.2K

-32.08%

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

$134 ¥20.9K

$102 ฿3,420

30.74%

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

$9.28 ¥1,448

$11.33 ฿378

-18.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.89 ¥5,131

$17.40 ฿581

89.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.35 ¥2,706

$11.07 ฿370

56.73%

Cinema Ticket

$13.07 ¥2,040

$7.69 ฿257

69.96%

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

$652 ¥101.7K

$561 ฿18.7K

16.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K ¥2.4M

$11.5K ฿384.1K

32.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.7 ¥9,934

$63.0 ฿2,104

1.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.90 ¥5,133

$29.52 ฿986

11.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.8 ¥9,957

$98.0 ฿3,272

-34.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 ¥16.1K

$88.5 ฿2,954

16.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,047 ¥1.3M

$3,617 ฿120.7K

122.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,552 ¥866.2K

$2,603 ฿86.9K

113.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,614 ¥251.8K

$494 ฿16.5K

226.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.12

5.57

-61.94%

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

Last update for Hamamatsu: September 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Hamamatsu pays 227% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $42.00 in Hamamatsu vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $274 per month, with Phuket 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

Hamamatsu vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hamamatsu and Phuket differ by about 57% in total monthly costs ($784 vs $1,232 including rent). Hamamatsu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 227% higher in Hamamatsu, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Shoppers in Phuket pay roughly 7% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Hamamatsu – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $784 in Hamamatsu versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Hamamatsu but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Hamamatsu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Hamamatsu 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 Hamamatsu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.