Cost of Living Comparison Between Hiroshima and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Hiroshima and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,033 per month in Hiroshima vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,639 per month in Hiroshima vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,244 per month in Hiroshima vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Hiroshima is about 18% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Hiroshima and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Hiroshima 23% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.10 ¥976

$4.70 ฿154

29.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.44 ¥5,508

$45.37 ฿1,483

-24.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.76 ¥762

$8.43 ฿276

-43.53%

Cappuccino

$2.98 ¥477

$2.93 ฿95.7

1.71%

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

$1.11 ¥177

$0.69 ฿22.42

60.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 ¥120

$0.37 ฿12.00

102.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.78 ¥445

$2.41 ฿78.7

15.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.21 ¥673

$3.72 ฿122

13.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 ¥242

$2.23 ฿73.0

-32.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 ¥227

$1.83 ฿59.9

-22.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.65 ¥745

$2.17 ฿70.9

114.29%

Eggs

$2.18 ¥349

$2.21 ฿72.4

-1.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.57 ¥890

$19.74 ฿645

-71.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.38 ¥1,021

$3.63 ฿119

75.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.10 ¥1,935

$13.53 ฿442

-10.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 ¥568

$3.28 ฿107

8.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 ¥346

$1.61 ฿52.7

34.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.18 ¥669

$2.41 ฿78.7

73.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.24 ¥679

$2.08 ฿68.1

103.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 ¥264

$1.53 ฿49.97

7.84%

Onion (1kg)

$3.97 ¥635

$1.48 ฿48.41

168.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 ¥214

$0.99 ฿32.32

35.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 ¥132

$0.51 ฿16.68

60.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 ¥614

$4.41 ฿144

-12.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.66 ¥1,225

$19.38 ฿634

-60.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 ¥325

$1.78 ฿58.1

14.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 ¥417

$2.71 ฿88.7

-4.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.12 ¥339

$1.37 ฿44.83

54.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.20 ¥3,871

$11.39 ฿372

112.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 ¥736

$3.02 ฿98.7

52.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 ¥205

$0.99 ฿32.51

29.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.22 ¥3,714

$14.10 ฿461

64.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥191

$1.36 ฿44.55

-12.50%

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

$23.3K ¥3.7M

$28.2K ฿921.9K

-17.29%

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

$17.1K ¥2.7M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-48.17%

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

$132 ¥21.2K

$122 ฿3,978

8.67%

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

$26.82 ¥4,290

$13.57 ฿444

97.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.18 ¥4,828

$18.31 ฿599

64.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 ¥8,821

$60.2 ฿1,969

-8.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.61 ¥898

$17.14 ฿560

-67.27%

Cinema Ticket

$12.29 ¥1,966

$8.69 ฿284

41.43%

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

$175 ¥28.0K

$693 ฿22.7K

-74.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,684 ¥589.3K

$15.7K ฿512.8K

-76.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.65 ¥4,902

$59.5 ฿1,946

-48.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.85 ¥4,454

$34.77 ฿1,137

-19.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$52.4 ¥8,387

$115 ฿3,746

-54.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.9 ¥10.9K

$83.3 ฿2,723

-18.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$352 ¥56.3K

$613 ฿20.0K

-42.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$243 ¥38.9K

$437 ฿14.3K

-44.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$768 ¥122.8K

$2,094 ฿68.5K

-63.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$541 ¥86.5K

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-64.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,959 ¥313.4K

$3,749 ฿122.6K

-47.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,643 ¥262.7K

$2,616 ฿85.5K

-37.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,415 ¥386.3K

$508 ฿16.6K

375.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.81

5.33

-66.04%

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

Last update for Hiroshima: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $352 in Hiroshima 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.

Salaries run about 375% higher in Hiroshima, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Hiroshima versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 vs $293 – making Hiroshima the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Hiroshima vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 22% more than Hiroshima, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Hiroshima 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 Hiroshima, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,033 in Hiroshima and $1,265 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 112% less in Hiroshima. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Hiroshima, where all-in costs run around $1,033, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Hiroshima it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Hiroshima costs $1,033 versus $1,265 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Hiroshima. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.