Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Huainan and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Huainan: $714 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $6,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Huainan, China
Phuket, Thailand
Huainan
🇨🇳 China
$714
/mo nomad
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Huainan and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Huainan and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $714 per month in Huainan vs $1,278 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Huainan $714
  • Phuket $1,278

A couple spends around $1,133 per month in Huainan vs $2,216 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Huainan $1,133
  • Phuket $2,216

A family of three spends $1,552 per month in Huainan vs $3,154 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Huainan $1,552
  • Phuket $3,154

Huainan is about 44% cheaper than Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Huainan and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Huainan 48% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Huainan
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.86 ¥19.05
$4.47 ฿151
-36.02%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$21.17 ¥141
$32.41 ฿1,094
-34.68%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.98 ¥33.15
$8.81 ฿297
-43.47%
Cappuccino
$3.04 ¥20.26
$2.83 ฿95.5
7.42%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.46 ¥3.09
$0.87 ฿29.43
-47.13%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.27 ¥1.79
$0.49 ฿16.67
-44.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.87 ¥5.76
$2.56 ฿86.4
-66.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05 ¥13.64
$3.68 ฿124
-44.29%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Huainan
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.88 ¥12.54
$1.66 ฿56.0
13.25%
White Bread (500g)
$1.60 ¥10.63
$1.46 ฿49.35
9.59%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.96 ¥6.39
$1.50 ฿50.6
-36.00%
Eggs
$1.56 ¥10.36
$2.09 ฿70.5
-25.36%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.72 ¥84.7
$19.07 ฿644
-33.30%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.14 ¥20.87
$3.30 ฿111
-4.85%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.33 ¥68.7
$10.91 ฿368
-5.32%
Apples (1kg)
$1.86 ¥12.38
$2.93 ฿99.0
-36.52%
Banana (1kg)
$1.22 ¥8.09
$1.69 ฿57.1
-27.81%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.47 ¥9.78
$2.25 ฿75.8
-34.67%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.11 ¥7.36
$2.08 ฿70.1
-46.63%
Potato (1kg)
$0.71 ¥4.72
$1.51 ฿51.0
-52.98%
Onion (1kg)
$0.95 ¥6.30
$1.38 ฿46.56
-31.16%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.61 ¥4.04
$1.07 ฿35.99
-42.99%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 ¥3.39
$0.52 ฿17.52
-1.92%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.14 ¥20.92
$4.20 ฿142
-25.24%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.42 ¥69.4
$18.79 ฿634
-44.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.75 ¥4.98
$1.82 ฿61.5
-58.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.66 ¥11.07
$2.84 ฿95.9
-41.55%
🚌 Getting Around
Huainan
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.29 ¥1.94
$1.45 ฿49.03
-80.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$16.84 ¥112
$56.7 ฿1,913
-70.28%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.42 ¥9.46
$3.02 ฿102
-52.98%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.33 ¥2.17
$1.02 ฿34.36
-67.65%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.58 ¥43.78
$3.69 ฿125
78.32%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.13 ¥7.52
$1.47 ฿49.81
-23.13%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.3K ¥128.2K
$26.8K ฿904.3K
-28.04%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$17.4K ¥116.0K
$26.7K ฿901.3K
-34.72%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Huainan
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$45.61 ¥304
$96.4 ฿3,254
-52.66%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.78 ¥65.1
$11.26 ฿380
-13.14%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$11.60 ¥77.2
$16.85 ฿569
-31.16%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Huainan
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.04 ¥273
$67.2 ฿2,270
-38.96%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.19 ¥94.4
$10.73 ฿362
32.25%
Cinema Ticket
$5.87 ¥39.09
$7.50 ฿253
-21.73%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Huainan
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$328 ¥2,181
$476 ฿16.1K
-31.13%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.9K ¥112.6K
$11.3K ฿380.4K
50.24%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Huainan
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.83 ¥292
$62.4 ฿2,106
-29.71%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.89 ¥199
$28.41 ฿959
5.21%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$70.7 ¥471
$94.3 ฿3,184
-24.98%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.2 ¥474
$85.8 ฿2,898
-16.99%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Huainan
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$277 ¥1,841
$716 ฿24.2K
-61.36%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$192 ¥1,277
$491 ฿16.6K
-60.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$583 ¥3,878
$1,927 ฿65.1K
-69.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$364 ¥2,425
$1,431 ฿48.3K
-74.53%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,075 ¥20.5K
$4,175 ฿141.0K
-26.35%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,001 ¥13.3K
$3,045 ฿102.8K
-34.28%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Huainan
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$502 ฿17.0K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.89
5.57
-30.16%

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

Last update for Huainan: October 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Huainan
$198
Phuket
$266 34.3% $68
Accommodation & Living
Huainan
$192
Phuket
$491 156% $299
Clothing & Footwear
Huainan
$97
Phuket
$122 25.6% $25
Eating Out
Huainan
$86
Phuket
$122 41.9% $36
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Huainan
$67
Phuket
$124 85.8% $57
Sport & Entertainment
Huainan
$53
Phuket
$82 55.8% $29
Getting Around
Huainan
$21
Phuket
$71 235% $50

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $277 in Huainan versus $716 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 $21 in Huainan versus $32 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $198 vs $266 – making Huainan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇳 Huainan
🇹🇭 Phuket
🕒 Local time
06:56 6:56 AM
05:56 5:56 AM
1 h behind Huainan
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,033,528
79,308
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to CNY – Chinese Yuan Converter

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 6.65 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.41 CNY (1 CNY = 0.135 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Huainan Phuket 3,360 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Huainan
  • Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Huainan vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Huainan cheaper than Phuket?
Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 79%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,070 per month in Huainan and $1,917 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Huainan, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $277 there versus $716 in Phuket.
Is eating out cheaper in Huainan or in Phuket?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $21 in Huainan and $32 in Phuket. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Huainan and in Phuket?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $714 in Huainan and $1,278 in Phuket. That makes Huainan about 44% cheaper.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Huainan or in Phuket?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Huainan, where all-in costs run around $714, than in Phuket at $1,278. In Huainan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Huainan or Phuket more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Huainan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
For expats, Huainan is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 44% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

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