Cost of Living Comparison Between Kyoto and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Kyoto and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,289 per month in Kyoto vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,149 per month in Kyoto vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,009 per month in Kyoto vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

Kyoto costs about 3% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Kyoto and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Kyoto 4% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.58 ¥1,719

$4.55 ฿153

132.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.03 ¥5,529

$46.18 ฿1,553

-26.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.51 ¥895

$8.84 ฿297

-37.67%

Cappuccino

$3.37 ¥548

$3.06 ฿103

10.13%

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

$0.94 ¥153

$0.73 ฿24.40

28.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥123

$0.40 ฿13.39

90.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.57 ¥581

$2.43 ฿81.8

46.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.70 ¥1,088

$3.78 ฿127

77.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 ¥275

$2.26 ฿76.0

-25.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 ¥280

$1.81 ฿60.9

-4.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.08 ¥500

$2.25 ฿75.8

36.89%

Eggs

$2.33 ¥378

$2.25 ฿75.5

3.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.70 ¥1,576

$19.51 ฿656

-50.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.76 ¥1,261

$3.65 ฿123

112.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.66 ¥2,545

$13.05 ฿439

20.00%

Apples (1kg)

$5.45 ¥886

$3.23 ฿109

68.73%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 ¥421

$1.62 ฿54.4

59.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.50 ¥1,056

$2.38 ฿80.1

173.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.89 ¥632

$2.03 ฿68.1

91.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.66 ¥270

$1.53 ฿51.6

8.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.25 ¥366

$1.50 ฿50.5

50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 ¥212

$0.98 ฿32.91

33.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 ¥155

$0.52 ฿17.39

82.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ¥691

$4.44 ฿149

-4.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.34 ¥1,192

$18.32 ฿616

-59.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ¥289

$1.86 ฿62.7

-4.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ¥605

$2.68 ฿90.1

38.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥272

$1.41 ฿47.46

18.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.5 ¥11.1K

$11.70 ฿393

485.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 ¥568

$3.11 ฿105

12.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.98 ¥484

$1.04 ฿35.06

186.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.10 ¥2,941

$14.11 ฿474

28.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ¥200

$1.31 ฿44.10

-6.11%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$27.8K ฿935.4K

-15.13%

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

$16.8K ¥2.7M

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-49.31%

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

$111 ¥18.0K

$122 ฿4,118

-9.35%

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

$26.56 ¥4,315

$13.59 ฿457

95.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.14 ¥5,384

$18.70 ฿629

77.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.6 ¥9,525

$60.5 ฿2,034

-3.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.90 ¥3,396

$16.98 ฿571

23.09%

Cinema Ticket

$12.91 ¥2,097

$9.07 ฿305

42.34%

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

$369 ¥60.0K

$706 ฿23.8K

-47.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,433 ¥1.2M

$15.8K ฿531.5K

-52.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.09 ¥7,488

$58.6 ฿1,969

-21.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.40 ¥5,265

$35.36 ฿1,189

-8.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.7 ¥12.1K

$115 ฿3,883

-35.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.6 ¥15.0K

$83.7 ฿2,816

10.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$582 ¥94.6K

$626 ฿21.0K

-6.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 ¥56.4K

$445 ฿15.0K

-22.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,671 ¥271.4K

$2,040 ฿68.6K

-18.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$909 ¥147.6K

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-39.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,862 ¥302.5K

$500 ฿16.8K

272.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.78

5.33

-66.60%

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

Last update for Kyoto: July 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $582 in Kyoto 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 272% higher in Kyoto, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Kyoto versus $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $316 in Kyoto vs $289 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

Kyoto vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,289 in Kyoto, $1,250 in Phuket – roughly 3% apart. Kyoto costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,934 per month in Kyoto 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 Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Kyoto, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Kyoto and $46.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,250, than in Kyoto at $1,289. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kyoto 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 $1,250 in Phuket to $1,289 in Kyoto. 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 Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kyoto makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.