🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $678 in Hanzhong versus $1,253 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,094 in Hanzhong versus $2,043 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,510 in Hanzhong versus $2,833 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Hanzhong costs roughly 46% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Hanzhong51% lower, Phuket9% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Hanzhong
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.76¥18.46
$4.56฿150
-39.47%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.11¥121
$32.62฿1,072
-44.48%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.35¥29.12
$8.90฿293
-51.12%
Cappuccino
$2.10¥14.08
$2.80฿92.2
-25.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40¥2.71
$0.88฿28.93
-54.55%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.24¥1.60
$0.49฿16.08
-51.02%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.53¥10.24
$2.39฿78.5
-35.98%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50¥10.08
$3.71฿122
-59.57%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Hanzhong
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.41¥9.43
$1.79฿58.7
-21.23%
White Bread(500g)
$1.71¥11.49
$1.44฿47.38
18.75%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.85¥5.72
$1.58฿52.1
-46.20%
Eggs
$1.42¥9.54
$2.13฿69.9
-33.33%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.30¥75.8
$19.92฿655
-43.27%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.53¥23.63
$3.43฿113
2.92%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.57¥70.9
$11.33฿372
-6.71%
Apples(1kg)
$1.66¥11.09
$2.95฿96.9
-43.73%
Banana(1kg)
$1.16¥7.75
$1.72฿56.6
-32.56%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.28¥8.57
$2.32฿76.4
-44.83%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.32¥8.85
$2.08฿68.4
-36.54%
Potato(1kg)
$0.65¥4.34
$1.47฿48.33
-55.78%
Onion(1kg)
$0.73¥4.86
$1.36฿44.64
-46.32%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.58¥3.87
$1.10฿36.12
-47.27%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55¥3.70
$0.57฿18.89
-3.51%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.28¥21.97
$4.27฿140
-23.19%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.69¥58.3
$18.42฿605
-52.82%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.78¥5.23
$1.87฿61.5
-58.29%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.71¥11.44
$2.92฿96.0
-41.44%
🚌 Getting Around
Hanzhong
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.29¥1.95
$2.22฿72.9
-86.94%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$17.66¥118
$22.90฿753
-22.88%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.28¥8.59
$3.03฿99.6
-57.76%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.29¥1.93
$1.07฿35.31
-72.90%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$4.58¥30.71
$3.93฿129
16.54%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.21¥8.11
$1.49฿49.04
-18.79%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.5K¥130.7K
$27.1K฿891.7K
-28.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$17.5K¥117.5K
$27.5K฿902.3K
-36.11%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hanzhong
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$41.09¥275
$103฿3,379
-60.03%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.85¥39.21
$10.99฿361
-46.77%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$10.53¥70.5
$17.51฿576
-39.86%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Hanzhong
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$37.73¥253
$53.5฿1,760
-29.52%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.02¥107
$11.20฿368
43.04%
Cinema Ticket
$5.16¥34.58
$7.48฿246
-31.02%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Hanzhong
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$689¥4,618
$557฿18.3K
23.73%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$17.4K¥116.6K
$11.9K฿389.6K
46.75%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Hanzhong
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$38.49¥258
$64.1฿2,106
-39.93%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.16¥249
$29.07฿956
27.83%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$75.2¥504
$96.0฿3,154
-21.59%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.1¥563
$90.3฿2,970
-6.94%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Hanzhong
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$248¥1,661
$730฿24.0K
-66.07%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$183¥1,223
$500฿16.4K
-63.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$683¥4,577
$2,090฿68.7K
-67.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$367¥2,459
$1,209฿39.7K
-69.66%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,897¥19.4K
$3,596฿118.2K
-19.44%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,967¥13.2K
$2,512฿82.6K
-21.69%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Hanzhong
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$573¥3,838
$503฿16.5K
13.77%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.1
5.57
-44.34%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Hanzhong: August 30, 2026
Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $248 in Hanzhong and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Hanzhong pays 14% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $18.00 in Hanzhong vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $273 per month, with Hanzhong 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
Hanzhong vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Hanzhong or Phuket?
Hanzhong wins on cost – living expenses run 85% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Hanzhong the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Hanzhong or in Phuket?
Average pay runs 14% higher in Hanzhong, 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 Hanzhong compared to Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $248 in Hanzhong versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Hanzhong and in Phuket?
Childcare runs $689 in Hanzhong versus $557 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Hanzhong or in Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 46% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Hanzhong or in Phuket?
At $678 in Hanzhong versus $1,253 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Hanzhong but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Hanzhong the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Hanzhong or Phuket?
Both work as nomad bases, but Hanzhong delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $678 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Hanzhong hard to pass up.
How safe is Hanzhong compared to Phuket?
Safety-wise, Hanzhong 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 Hanzhong gentler on the wallet – expenses run 85% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.