Cost of Living Comparison Between Jinan and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Jinan and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $733 per month in Jinan vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,159 per month in Jinan vs $2,255 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,585 per month in Jinan vs $3,279 in Phuket, rent included.

Jinan is about 40% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Jinan and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Jinan 45% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.82 ¥19.29

$4.63 ฿151

-39.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.20 ¥193

$46.84 ฿1,532

-39.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.85 ¥33.25

$8.84 ฿289

-45.14%

Cappuccino

$3.30 ¥22.59

$3.00 ฿98.0

10.00%

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

$0.45 ¥3.06

$0.74 ฿24.25

-39.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 ¥1.57

$0.37 ฿11.95

-37.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.83 ¥5.69

$2.44 ฿79.8

-65.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 ¥13.18

$3.61 ฿118

-46.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 ¥12.75

$2.26 ฿73.9

-17.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ¥10.96

$1.84 ฿60.1

-13.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.54

$2.24 ฿73.4

-50.89%

Eggs

$1.22 ¥8.38

$2.32 ฿75.7

-47.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.84 ¥60.6

$19.67 ฿643

-55.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.87 ¥19.65

$3.65 ฿119

-21.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 ¥61.5

$13.10 ฿428

-31.53%

Apples (1kg)

$1.27 ¥8.71

$3.39 ฿111

-62.54%

Banana (1kg)

$0.96 ¥6.57

$1.64 ฿53.7

-41.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 ¥8.95

$2.41 ฿79.0

-45.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 ¥4.82

$2.03 ฿66.4

-65.52%

Potato (1kg)

$0.57 ¥3.91

$1.56 ฿50.9

-63.46%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 ¥3.34

$1.50 ฿48.94

-67.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.41 ¥2.78

$1.02 ฿33.50

-59.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 ¥3.07

$0.49 ฿16.00

-8.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.04 ¥20.83

$4.45 ฿145

-31.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.92 ¥68.0

$18.88 ฿617

-47.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ¥5.85

$1.78 ฿58.1

-52.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ¥11.21

$2.75 ฿90.1

-40.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ¥2.76

$1.40 ฿45.81

-71.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.48 ¥58.1

$11.48 ฿376

-26.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 ¥10.82

$3.12 ฿102

-49.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 ¥2.20

$1.00 ฿32.67

-68.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.26 ¥29.17

$14.09 ฿461

-69.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ¥7.99

$1.35 ฿44.19

-13.33%

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

$17.0K ¥116.1K

$27.2K ฿888.9K

-37.63%

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

$18.1K ¥124.2K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-44.92%

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

$85.0 ¥582

$125 ฿4,087

-32.01%

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

$10.04 ¥68.8

$13.57 ฿444

-26.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.13 ¥48.82

$18.52 ฿606

-61.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.1 ¥658

$61.5 ฿2,010

56.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.04 ¥48.21

$16.84 ฿551

-58.19%

Cinema Ticket

$5.99 ¥41.00

$9.19 ฿300

-34.82%

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

$207 ¥1,421

$698 ฿22.8K

-70.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K ¥121.0K

$15.6K ฿509.9K

13.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.83 ¥266

$57.8 ฿1,889

-32.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.36 ¥201

$35.24 ฿1,152

-16.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.2 ¥529

$113 ฿3,699

-31.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.9 ¥479

$86.4 ฿2,825

-19.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$284 ¥1,944

$616 ฿20.1K

-53.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$153 ¥1,045

$446 ฿14.6K

-65.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$690 ¥4,726

$2,048 ฿67.0K

-66.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 ¥2,141

$1,492 ฿48.8K

-79.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,369 ¥16.2K

$3,779 ฿123.6K

-37.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,297 ¥8,882

$2,649 ฿86.6K

-51.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$967 ¥6,627

$524 ฿17.1K

84.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.94

5.33

-26.08%

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

Last update for Jinan: April 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $284 in Jinan versus $616 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 85% higher in Jinan, 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 $28.00 in Jinan versus $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $170 vs $292 – making Jinan 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

Jinan vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 68% more than Jinan, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,100 per month in Jinan and $1,847 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Jinan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Jinan and $47.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $733 in Jinan and $1,232 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Jinan, where all-in costs run around $733, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Jinan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Jinan costs $733 versus $1,232 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 Jinan. 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.