Cost of Living Comparison Between Matsuyama and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Matsuyama and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,234 per month in Matsuyama vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,929 per month in Matsuyama vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,624 per month in Matsuyama vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Matsuyama is about 2% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Matsuyama and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Matsuyama 8% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.02 ¥1,123

$4.70 ฿154

49.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.07 ¥5,450

$45.37 ฿1,483

-24.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.45 ¥872

$8.43 ฿276

-35.35%

Cappuccino

$3.20 ¥513

$2.93 ฿95.7

9.22%

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

$1.11 ¥177

$0.69 ฿22.42

60.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 ¥120

$0.37 ฿12.00

102.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.55 ¥407

$2.41 ฿78.7

5.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 ¥493

$3.72 ฿122

-17.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 ¥245

$2.23 ฿73.0

-31.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 ¥243

$1.83 ฿59.9

-16.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.85 ¥776

$2.17 ฿70.9

123.50%

Eggs

$2.29 ¥366

$2.21 ฿72.4

3.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.04 ¥1,605

$19.74 ฿645

-49.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.47 ¥1,035

$3.63 ฿119

78.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.17 ¥2,427

$13.53 ฿442

12.12%

Apples (1kg)

$5.43 ¥869

$3.28 ฿107

65.55%

Banana (1kg)

$2.65 ¥424

$1.61 ฿52.7

64.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.10 ¥655

$2.41 ฿78.7

70.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.00 ¥960

$2.08 ฿68.1

188.46%

Potato (1kg)

$3.00 ¥480

$1.53 ฿49.97

96.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 ¥409

$1.48 ฿48.41

72.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 ¥220

$0.99 ฿32.32

38.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 ¥134

$0.51 ฿16.68

64.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.11 ¥658

$4.41 ฿144

-6.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.09 ¥1,454

$19.38 ฿634

-53.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 ¥309

$1.78 ฿58.1

8.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 ¥346

$2.71 ฿88.7

-20.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.59 ¥255

$1.37 ฿44.83

16.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.8 ¥8,760

$11.39 ฿372

380.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.51 ¥561

$3.02 ฿98.7

16.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.97 ¥475

$0.99 ฿32.51

200.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.00 ¥3,359

$14.10 ฿461

48.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥191

$1.36 ฿44.55

-11.76%

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

$22.9K ¥3.7M

$28.2K ฿921.9K

-18.81%

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

$17.3K ¥2.8M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-47.45%

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

$141 ¥22.6K

$122 ฿3,978

16.16%

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

$26.90 ¥4,302

$13.57 ฿444

98.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.70 ¥5,389

$18.31 ฿599

84.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.6 ¥8,894

$60.2 ฿1,969

-7.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.00 ¥2,240

$17.14 ฿560

-18.32%

Cinema Ticket

$12.53 ¥2,005

$8.69 ฿284

44.19%

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

$280 ¥44.8K

$693 ฿22.7K

-59.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K ¥2.1M

$15.7K ฿512.8K

-14.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.87 ¥6,858

$59.5 ฿1,946

-27.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.59 ¥4,732

$34.77 ฿1,137

-14.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.7 ¥9,705

$115 ฿3,746

-47.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.1 ¥14.9K

$83.3 ฿2,723

11.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$409 ¥65.4K

$613 ฿20.0K

-33.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$325 ¥51.9K

$437 ฿14.3K

-25.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$857 ¥137.1K

$2,094 ฿68.5K

-59.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$649 ¥103.9K

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-56.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,142 ¥662.5K

$3,749 ฿122.6K

10.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,687 ¥429.8K

$2,616 ฿85.5K

2.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

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 Matsuyama: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $409 in Matsuyama 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Matsuyama versus $45.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $318 in Matsuyama 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

Matsuyama vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,234 in Matsuyama, $1,265 in Phuket – roughly 3% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,851 per month in Matsuyama 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 Matsuyama, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 381% less in Matsuyama. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $280 per month in Matsuyama and $693 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Matsuyama, where all-in costs run around $1,234, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Matsuyama 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 $1,234 in Matsuyama 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 Matsuyama. 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.