Cost of Living Comparison Between Himeji and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Himeji and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,295 per month in Himeji vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,026 per month in Himeji vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,757 per month in Himeji vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Himeji costs about 2% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Himeji and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Himeji 3% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.15 ¥1,303

$4.70 ฿154

73.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.03 ¥5,443

$45.37 ฿1,483

-24.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.35 ¥1,016

$8.43 ฿276

-24.67%

Cappuccino

$3.11 ¥497

$2.93 ฿95.7

6.14%

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

$1.15 ¥184

$0.69 ฿22.42

66.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 ¥111

$0.37 ฿12.00

86.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 ¥535

$2.41 ฿78.7

39.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 ¥501

$3.72 ฿122

-15.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 ¥242

$2.23 ฿73.0

-31.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ¥289

$1.83 ฿59.9

-1.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.01 ¥802

$2.17 ฿70.9

130.88%

Eggs

$2.47 ¥395

$2.21 ฿72.4

11.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.44 ¥2,790

$19.74 ฿645

-11.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.50 ¥1,200

$3.63 ฿119

106.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.43 ¥2,467

$13.53 ฿442

14.04%

Apples (1kg)

$9.03 ¥1,444

$3.28 ฿107

175.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.78 ¥444

$1.61 ฿52.7

72.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.42 ¥547

$2.41 ฿78.7

41.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$9.74 ¥1,557

$2.08 ฿68.1

368.27%

Potato (1kg)

$3.90 ¥625

$1.53 ฿49.97

154.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 ¥338

$1.48 ฿48.41

42.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ¥161

$0.99 ฿32.32

2.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 ¥224

$0.51 ฿16.68

174.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.52 ¥564

$4.41 ฿144

-20.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.44 ¥1,509

$19.38 ฿634

-51.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 ¥330

$1.78 ฿58.1

15.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 ¥371

$2.71 ฿88.7

-14.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.66 ¥265

$1.37 ฿44.83

21.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.1 ¥8,979

$11.39 ฿372

392.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.51 ¥561

$3.02 ฿98.7

16.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.02 ¥482

$0.99 ฿32.51

205.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.15 ¥2,742

$14.10 ฿461

21.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 ¥132

$1.36 ฿44.55

-38.97%

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

$23.0K ¥3.7M

$28.2K ฿921.9K

-18.33%

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

$17.0K ¥2.7M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-48.27%

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

$138 ¥22.1K

$122 ฿3,978

13.62%

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

$27.74 ¥4,437

$13.57 ฿444

104.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.52 ¥4,242

$18.31 ฿599

44.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.7 ¥8,909

$60.2 ฿1,969

-7.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.98 ¥2,236

$17.14 ฿560

-18.44%

Cinema Ticket

$8.13 ¥1,300

$8.69 ฿284

-6.44%

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

$481 ¥76.9K

$693 ฿22.7K

-30.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K ¥1.8M

$15.7K ฿512.8K

-27.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.14 ¥6,101

$59.5 ฿1,946

-35.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$10.25 ¥1,639

$34.77 ฿1,137

-70.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$41.46 ¥6,632

$115 ฿3,746

-63.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.1 ¥8,805

$83.3 ฿2,723

-33.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$463 ¥74.0K

$613 ฿20.0K

-24.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$336 ¥53.7K

$437 ฿14.3K

-23.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$882 ¥141.1K

$2,094 ฿68.5K

-57.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$661 ¥105.8K

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-56.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,674 ¥747.6K

$3,749 ฿122.6K

24.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,191 ¥350.4K

$2,616 ฿85.5K

-16.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.78

5.33

-66.60%

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

Last update for Himeji: May 30, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $463 in Himeji 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Himeji versus $45.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $394 in Himeji 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

Himeji vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Himeji is pricier by about 2%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,942 per month in Himeji 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.

Groceries cost about 35% more in Himeji, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Himeji and $45.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Himeji at $1,295. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Himeji it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Himeji makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.