Cost of Living Comparison Between Kanazawa and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Kanazawa and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,196 per month in Kanazawa vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,871 per month in Kanazawa vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,547 per month in Kanazawa vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Kanazawa is about 5% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Kanazawa and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Kanazawa 11% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.69 ¥910

$4.70 ฿154

21.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.23 ¥5,634

$45.37 ฿1,483

-22.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.82 ¥772

$8.43 ฿276

-42.82%

Cappuccino

$3.32 ¥532

$2.93 ฿95.7

13.31%

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

$1.09 ¥174

$0.69 ฿22.42

57.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 ¥115

$0.37 ฿12.00

94.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.80 ¥447

$2.41 ฿78.7

16.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.40 ¥705

$3.72 ฿122

18.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 ¥257

$2.23 ฿73.0

-27.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ¥239

$1.83 ฿59.9

-18.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.69 ¥749

$2.17 ฿70.9

116.13%

Eggs

$2.44 ¥390

$2.21 ฿72.4

10.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.62 ¥1,699

$19.74 ฿645

-46.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.33 ¥1,012

$3.63 ฿119

74.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.04 ¥3,045

$13.53 ฿442

40.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 ¥582

$3.28 ฿107

10.98%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 ¥351

$1.61 ฿52.7

36.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 ¥412

$2.41 ฿78.7

7.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.45 ¥711

$2.08 ฿68.1

113.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.66 ¥265

$1.53 ฿49.97

8.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 ¥198

$1.48 ฿48.41

-16.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ¥222

$0.99 ฿32.32

40.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 ¥142

$0.51 ฿16.68

74.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 ¥614

$4.41 ฿144

-12.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.13 ¥1,461

$19.38 ฿634

-52.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 ¥331

$1.78 ฿58.1

16.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ¥480

$2.71 ฿88.7

10.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 ¥258

$1.37 ฿44.83

17.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.8 ¥8,767

$11.39 ฿372

381.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.54 ¥725

$3.02 ฿98.7

50.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.36 ¥537

$0.99 ฿32.51

239.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.66 ¥3,785

$14.10 ฿461

67.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥188

$1.36 ฿44.55

-13.24%

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

$23.5K ¥3.8M

$28.2K ฿921.9K

-16.79%

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

$17.0K ¥2.7M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-48.46%

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

$130 ¥20.8K

$122 ฿3,978

7.06%

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

$27.51 ¥4,400

$13.57 ฿444

102.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.22 ¥4,833

$18.31 ฿599

65.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.01 ¥7,680

$60.2 ฿1,969

-20.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.76 ¥2,201

$17.14 ฿560

-19.72%

Cinema Ticket

$12.65 ¥2,023

$8.69 ฿284

45.57%

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

$70.4 ¥11.3K

$693 ฿22.7K

-89.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K ¥1.7M

$15.7K ฿512.8K

-33.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.98 ¥7,034

$59.5 ฿1,946

-26.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.19 ¥4,669

$34.77 ฿1,137

-16.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.6 ¥10.7K

$115 ฿3,746

-41.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.4 ¥15.1K

$83.3 ฿2,723

13.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 ¥76.1K

$613 ฿20.0K

-22.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$332 ¥53.1K

$437 ฿14.3K

-24.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$867 ¥138.6K

$2,094 ฿68.5K

-58.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 ¥105.2K

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-56.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,365 ¥698.2K

$3,749 ฿122.6K

16.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,655 ¥424.7K

$2,616 ฿85.5K

1.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,846 ¥295.2K

$508 ฿16.6K

263.28%

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 Kanazawa: June 2, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Kanazawa 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 263% higher in Kanazawa, 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 Kanazawa versus $45.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $302 in Kanazawa 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

Kanazawa vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,196 in Kanazawa, $1,265 in Phuket – roughly 6% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,794 per month in Kanazawa 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 Kanazawa, 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 $1,196 in Kanazawa 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 381% less in Kanazawa. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kanazawa, where all-in costs run around $1,196, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Kanazawa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,196 in Kanazawa to $1,265 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Kanazawa. 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.