Cost of Living Comparison Between Linyi and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Linyi and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $595 in Linyi versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $950 in Linyi versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,305 in Linyi versus $2,876 in Phuket.

Living in Linyi costs roughly 52% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Linyi 57% lower, Phuket 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.35 ¥15.73

$4.41 ฿147

-46.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.11 ¥161

$32.26 ฿1,077

-25.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 ¥33.94

$8.93 ฿298

-43.23%

Cappuccino

$2.46 ¥16.48

$2.90 ฿96.6

-15.17%

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

$0.44 ¥2.96

$0.88 ฿29.38

-50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 ¥1.40

$0.48 ฿16.06

-56.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.87 ¥5.80

$2.35 ฿78.5

-62.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ¥13.57

$3.72 ฿124

-45.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ¥10.56

$1.87 ฿62.3

-15.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 ¥9.31

$1.47 ฿48.94

-5.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.42 ¥2.81

$1.55 ฿51.8

-72.90%

Eggs

$1.18 ¥7.92

$2.10 ฿70.1

-43.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 ¥61.5

$19.59 ฿654

-53.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$1.77 ¥11.82

$3.42 ฿114

-48.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.27 ¥75.5

$11.38 ฿380

-0.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.56

$2.98 ฿99.6

-62.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 ¥7.14

$1.68 ฿56.2

-36.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.00 ¥6.72

$2.21 ฿73.7

-54.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.25

$2.16 ฿72.1

-56.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.46 ¥3.10

$1.52 ฿50.9

-69.74%

Onion (1kg)

$0.41 ¥2.75

$1.34 ฿44.67

-69.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 ¥3.77

$1.13 ฿37.67

-50.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ¥4.48

$0.55 ฿18.24

21.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.50 ¥30.15

$4.26 ฿142

5.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.78 ¥65.5

$19.09 ฿637

-48.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ¥4.77

$1.78 ฿59.4

-60.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ¥8.75

$2.78 ฿92.9

-52.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ¥1.92

$2.23 ฿74.4

-87.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 ¥7.14

$3.03 ฿101

-64.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 ¥1.93

$1.02 ฿34.15

-71.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.34 ¥29.04

$3.89 ฿130

11.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ¥7.39

$1.49 ฿49.77

-26.17%

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

$16.7K ¥111.8K

$26.6K ฿887.3K

-37.23%

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

$14.6K ¥97.8K

$27.0K ฿902.2K

-45.97%

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

$71.3 ¥477

$102 ฿3,420

-30.47%

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

$4.77 ¥31.92

$11.33 ฿378

-57.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.12 ¥34.31

$17.40 ฿581

-70.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 ¥359

$52.1 ฿1,738

3.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.70 ¥172

$11.07 ฿370

132.16%

Cinema Ticket

$5.11 ¥34.24

$7.69 ฿257

-33.55%

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

$216 ¥1,448

$561 ฿18.7K

-61.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K ¥69.5K

$11.5K ฿384.1K

-9.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.70 ¥152

$63.0 ฿2,104

-63.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.04 ¥148

$29.52 ฿986

-25.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.7 ¥480

$98.0 ฿3,272

-26.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.3 ¥458

$88.5 ฿2,954

-22.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$210 ¥1,410

$738 ฿24.6K

-71.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$113 ¥755

$482 ฿16.1K

-76.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$499 ¥3,344

$2,107 ฿70.3K

-76.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$205 ¥1,374

$1,226 ฿40.9K

-83.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,516 ¥10.2K

$3,617 ฿120.7K

-58.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$999 ¥6,689

$2,603 ฿86.9K

-61.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$779 ¥5,216

$494 ฿16.5K

57.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.13

5.57

-43.81%

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

Last update for Linyi: September 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $210 in Linyi and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Linyi pays 58% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $24.00 in Linyi vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $165 vs $274 per month, with Linyi cheaper across the board.

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

Linyi vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Linyi wins on cost – living expenses run 107% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Linyi the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 58% higher in Linyi, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $210 in Linyi versus $738 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 66% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $595 per month in Linyi versus $1,232 in Phuket – a 107% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $595 in Linyi versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Linyi but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Linyi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Linyi delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $595 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Linyi hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Linyi and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Linyi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 107% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.