😐A single person spends $1,300 per month in Maebashi vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $2,030 per month in Maebashi vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $2,760 per month in Maebashi vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.
😐Maebashi costs about 3% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Maebashi and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Maebashi3% lower, Phuket6% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Maebashi
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.99¥798
$4.70฿154
6.17%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.13¥5,619
$45.37฿1,483
-22.57%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.79¥926
$8.43฿276
-31.32%
Cappuccino
$2.98¥477
$2.93฿95.7
1.71%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.80¥128
$0.69฿22.42
15.94%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.68¥109
$0.37฿12.00
83.78%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.36¥377
$2.41฿78.7
-2.07%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.20¥513
$3.72฿122
-13.98%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Maebashi
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.41¥225
$2.23฿73.0
-36.77%
White Bread(500g)
$1.74¥278
$1.83฿59.9
-4.92%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.42¥227
$2.17฿70.9
-34.56%
Eggs
$1.78¥285
$2.21฿72.4
-19.46%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$17.00¥2,719
$19.74฿645
-13.88%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.11¥817
$3.63฿119
40.77%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.49¥2,477
$13.53฿442
14.49%
Apples(1kg)
$8.97¥1,435
$3.28฿107
173.48%
Banana(1kg)
$2.76¥442
$1.61฿52.7
71.43%
Oranges(1kg)
$4.79¥767
$2.41฿78.7
98.76%
Tomato(1kg)
$9.77¥1,562
$2.08฿68.1
369.71%
Potato(1kg)
$4.00¥640
$1.53฿49.97
161.44%
Onion(1kg)
$2.58¥412
$1.48฿48.41
74.32%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.33¥213
$0.99฿32.32
34.34%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.54¥86.3
$0.51฿16.68
5.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.46¥553
$4.41฿144
-21.54%
Wine(Bottle)
$9.61¥1,536
$19.38฿634
-50.41%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.85¥456
$1.78฿58.1
60.11%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29¥366
$2.71฿88.7
-15.50%
🚌 Getting Around
Maebashi
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.65¥264
$1.37฿44.83
20.44%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$54.4¥8,708
$11.39฿372
377.96%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.51¥561
$3.02฿98.7
16.23%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.98¥477
$0.99฿32.51
201.01%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$34.41¥5,503
$14.10฿461
144.04%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.17¥187
$1.36฿44.55
-13.97%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.1K¥3.7M
$28.2K฿921.9K
-17.96%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$16.7K¥2.7M
$32.9K฿1.1M
-49.14%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Maebashi
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$138¥22.1K
$122฿3,978
13.43%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.89¥4,301
$13.57฿444
98.16%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.74¥5,397
$18.31฿599
84.27%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Maebashi
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$55.2¥8,826
$60.2฿1,969
-8.37%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.95¥2,231
$17.14฿560
-18.61%
Cinema Ticket
$12.25¥1,959
$8.69฿284
40.97%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Maebashi
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$474¥75.8K
$693฿22.7K
-31.65%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.1K¥1.8M
$15.7K฿512.8K
-29.25%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Maebashi
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$46.31¥7,407
$59.5฿1,946
-22.21%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.09¥5,133
$34.77฿1,137
-7.71%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$56.5¥9,041
$115฿3,746
-50.67%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.7¥14.8K
$83.3฿2,723
11.27%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Maebashi
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$462¥73.8K
$613฿20.0K
-24.71%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$327¥52.3K
$437฿14.3K
-25.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$861¥137.7K
$2,094฿68.5K
-58.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$652¥104.4K
$1,509฿49.3K
-56.78%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,596¥735.1K
$3,749฿122.6K
22.57%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,516¥402.4K
$2,616฿85.5K
-3.81%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Maebashi
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,715¥274.2K
$508฿16.6K
237.43%
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 Maebashi: June 2, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $462 in Maebashi 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 237% higher in Maebashi, 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 $35.00 in Maebashi versus $45.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $364 in Maebashi 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
Maebashi vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Maebashi?
Yes – Maebashi is pricier by about 3%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,950 per month in Maebashi and $1,898 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 Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Maebashi or Phuket?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Maebashi and $45.00 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 Maebashi vs Phuket?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,300 in Maebashi and $1,265 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Maebashi or Phuket?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Maebashi at $1,300. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Maebashi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Maebashi or Phuket more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Maebashi or Phuket?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Maebashi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.