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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,058 per month in Hiroshima vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,651 per month in Hiroshima vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,244 per month in Hiroshima vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

Hiroshima is about 15% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Hiroshima and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Hiroshima 21% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.30 ¥1,024

$4.55 ฿153

38.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.22 ¥5,723

$46.18 ฿1,553

-23.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.75 ¥772

$8.84 ฿297

-46.27%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ¥482

$3.06 ฿103

-2.94%

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

$1.06 ¥173

$0.73 ฿24.40

45.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 ¥115

$0.40 ฿13.39

75.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.76 ¥448

$2.43 ฿81.8

13.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 ¥662

$3.78 ฿127

7.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ¥256

$2.26 ฿76.0

-30.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 ¥231

$1.81 ฿60.9

-21.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.68 ¥761

$2.25 ฿75.8

108.00%

Eggs

$2.18 ¥355

$2.25 ฿75.5

-3.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.53 ¥898

$19.51 ฿656

-71.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.25 ¥1,016

$3.65 ฿123

71.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 ¥1,979

$13.05 ฿439

-6.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.54 ¥576

$3.23 ฿109

9.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 ¥360

$1.62 ฿54.4

36.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 ¥668

$2.38 ฿80.1

72.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.04 ¥656

$2.03 ฿68.1

99.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 ¥268

$1.53 ฿51.6

7.84%

Onion (1kg)

$3.78 ¥614

$1.50 ฿50.5

152.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ¥226

$0.98 ฿32.91

41.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥146

$0.52 ฿17.39

73.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.94 ¥639

$4.44 ฿149

-11.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.74 ¥1,258

$18.32 ฿616

-57.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 ¥338

$1.86 ฿62.7

11.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 ¥425

$2.68 ฿90.1

-2.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 ¥331

$1.41 ฿47.46

44.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.80 ¥3,867

$11.70 ฿393

103.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.49 ¥729

$3.11 ฿105

44.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 ¥208

$1.04 ฿35.06

23.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.31 ¥3,787

$14.11 ฿474

65.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ¥188

$1.31 ฿44.10

-11.45%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$27.8K ฿935.4K

-15.11%

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

$16.9K ¥2.7M

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-49.16%

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

$132 ¥21.4K

$122 ฿4,118

7.57%

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

$27.61 ¥4,486

$13.59 ฿457

103.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.58 ¥4,969

$18.70 ฿629

63.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.8 ¥8,746

$60.5 ฿2,034

-11.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.66 ¥920

$16.98 ฿571

-66.67%

Cinema Ticket

$12.50 ¥2,031

$9.07 ฿305

37.82%

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

$173 ¥28.2K

$706 ฿23.8K

-75.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,779 ¥614.1K

$15.8K ฿531.5K

-76.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.74 ¥5,156

$58.6 ฿1,969

-45.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.63 ¥4,490

$35.36 ฿1,189

-21.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$52.6 ¥8,546

$115 ฿3,883

-54.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.2 ¥11.2K

$83.7 ฿2,816

-17.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$353 ¥57.3K

$626 ฿21.0K

-43.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ¥39.0K

$445 ฿15.0K

-46.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$758 ¥123.2K

$2,040 ฿68.6K

-62.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$557 ¥90.5K

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-62.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,124 ¥345.1K

$3,483 ฿117.1K

-39.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 ¥340.5K

$2,577 ฿86.7K

-18.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,933 ¥314.0K

$500 ฿16.8K

286.68%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $353 in Hiroshima versus $626 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 287% 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 $35.00 in Hiroshima versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 vs $289 – 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 18% 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 $1,587 per month in Hiroshima and $1,875 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 $1,058 in Hiroshima and $1,250 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 103% 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 $1,058, than in Phuket at $1,250. 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 $1,058 versus $1,250 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.