Cost of Living Comparison Between Hefei and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Hefei and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $735 in Hefei versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,184 in Hefei versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,634 in Hefei versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Hefei costs roughly 42% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Hefei 45% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 ¥23.30

$4.70 ฿154

-26.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.83 ¥114

$45.37 ฿1,483

-62.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.15 ¥28.08

$8.43 ฿276

-50.77%

Cappuccino

$2.35 ¥15.89

$2.93 ฿95.7

-19.80%

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

$0.47 ¥3.19

$0.69 ฿22.42

-31.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 ¥1.56

$0.37 ฿12.00

-37.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.82 ¥5.58

$2.41 ฿78.7

-65.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ¥14.29

$3.72 ฿122

-43.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 ¥11.43

$2.23 ฿73.0

-24.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 ¥10.91

$1.83 ฿59.9

-12.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ¥8.11

$2.17 ฿70.9

-44.70%

Eggs

$1.91 ¥12.93

$2.21 ฿72.4

-13.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.60 ¥58.2

$19.74 ฿645

-56.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.07 ¥27.57

$3.63 ฿119

12.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.92 ¥67.1

$13.53 ฿442

-26.68%

Apples (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.16

$3.28 ฿107

-45.12%

Banana (1kg)

$0.82 ¥5.57

$1.61 ฿52.7

-49.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ¥8.63

$2.41 ฿78.7

-46.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.83 ¥5.59

$2.08 ฿68.1

-60.10%

Potato (1kg)

$0.60 ¥4.09

$1.53 ฿49.97

-60.78%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 ¥3.29

$1.48 ฿48.41

-66.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 ¥3.59

$0.99 ฿32.32

-46.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.76

$0.51 ฿16.68

9.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.81 ¥19.01

$4.41 ฿144

-36.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.50 ¥64.3

$19.38 ฿634

-50.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ¥4.86

$1.78 ฿58.1

-59.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ¥11.13

$2.71 ฿88.7

-39.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 ¥2.25

$1.37 ฿44.83

-75.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.14 ¥278

$11.39 ฿372

261.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.34 ¥9.08

$3.02 ฿98.7

-55.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 ¥1.74

$0.99 ฿32.51

-73.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.54 ¥17.21

$14.10 ฿461

-81.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ¥7.81

$1.36 ฿44.55

-15.44%

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

$19.6K ¥132.4K

$28.2K ฿921.9K

-30.65%

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

$19.2K ¥129.7K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-41.75%

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

$40.99 ¥277

$122 ฿3,978

-66.32%

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

$12.86 ¥87.1

$13.57 ฿444

-5.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.70 ¥92.7

$18.31 ฿599

-25.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.8 ¥561

$60.2 ฿1,969

37.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.49 ¥84.6

$17.14 ฿560

-27.13%

Cinema Ticket

$5.81 ¥39.33

$8.69 ฿284

-33.14%

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

$257 ¥1,742

$693 ฿22.7K

-62.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,920 ¥60.4K

$15.7K ฿512.8K

-43.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 ¥392

$59.5 ฿1,946

-2.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.23 ¥205

$34.77 ฿1,137

-13.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.9 ¥412

$115 ฿3,746

-46.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.5 ¥504

$83.3 ฿2,723

-10.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$229 ¥1,547

$613 ฿20.0K

-62.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 ¥1,220

$437 ฿14.3K

-58.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ¥3,276

$2,094 ฿68.5K

-76.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 ¥2,479

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-75.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,744 ¥25.3K

$3,749 ฿122.6K

-0.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,044 ¥13.8K

$2,616 ฿85.5K

-21.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$962 ¥6,512

$508 ฿16.6K

89.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.37

5.33

-18.01%

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

Last update for Hefei: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $229 in Hefei and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hefei pays 89% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $17.00 in Hefei vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $182 vs $293 per month, with Hefei 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

Hefei vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hefei wins on cost – living expenses run 72% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Hefei the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Hefei pays 89% more on average, 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: $229 in Hefei versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Hefei – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $735 per month in Hefei versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 72% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $735 in Hefei versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Hefei but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Hefei the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Hefei delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $735 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Hefei hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Hefei 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 Hefei gentler on the wallet – expenses run 72% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.