Cost of Living Comparison Between Miaoli and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Miaoli and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $788 in Miaoli versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,105 in Miaoli versus $2,089 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,423 in Miaoli versus $2,913 in Phuket.

Living in Miaoli costs roughly 38% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Miaoli 43% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.61 NT$82.5

$4.66 ฿154

-43.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.16 NT$764

$32.22 ฿1,065

-25.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.80 NT$152

$8.68 ฿287

-44.70%

Cappuccino

$3.06 NT$96.9

$2.90 ฿95.8

5.52%

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

$0.88 NT$27.84

$0.84 ฿27.89

4.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 NT$18.39

$0.49 ฿16.16

18.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.26 NT$39.72

$2.48 ฿82.0

-49.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 NT$41.84

$3.73 ฿123

-64.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.86 NT$90.3

$1.89 ฿62.3

51.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 NT$38.51

$1.41 ฿46.54

-13.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.60 NT$82.4

$1.62 ฿53.6

60.49%

Eggs

$2.22 NT$70.2

$2.24 ฿74.1

-0.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.55 NT$302

$19.84 ฿656

-51.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.59 NT$240

$3.48 ฿115

118.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.61 NT$684

$11.37 ฿376

90.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.88 NT$123

$2.90 ฿95.8

33.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 NT$65.7

$1.72 ฿57.0

20.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 NT$95.6

$2.27 ฿75.1

33.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.06 NT$96.8

$2.13 ฿70.4

43.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.60 NT$82.2

$1.47 ฿48.72

76.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 NT$61.8

$1.42 ฿46.92

37.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 NT$76.1

$1.10 ฿36.25

119.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 NT$27.58

$0.60 ฿19.76

45.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.98 NT$126

$4.31 ฿142

-7.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.94 NT$346

$18.60 ฿615

-41.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 NT$46.15

$1.80 ฿59.5

-18.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 NT$69.2

$2.97 ฿98.0

-26.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 NT$88.7

$3.10 ฿102

-9.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 NT$24.03

$1.08 ฿35.56

-29.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.19 NT$227

$3.87 ฿128

85.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 NT$31.66

$1.43 ฿47.16

-30.07%

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

$33.3K NT$1.1M

$27.8K ฿918.0K

20.02%

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

$24.4K NT$772.0K

$27.0K ฿891.5K

-9.54%

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

$70.0 NT$2,215

$105 ฿3,462

-33.18%

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

$18.28 NT$578

$11.39 ฿376

60.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.95 NT$694

$17.54 ฿580

25.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$10.90 NT$345

$7.78 ฿257

40.10%

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

$521 NT$16.5K

$576 ฿19.0K

-9.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.3K NT$1.0M

$11.6K ฿382.7K

179.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$12.91 NT$408

$63.6 ฿2,103

-79.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.01 NT$791

$29.10 ฿961

-14.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.5 NT$1,977

$96.2 ฿3,179

-35.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.5 NT$3,082

$90.0 ฿2,974

8.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$220 NT$6,968

$733 ฿24.2K

-69.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$161 NT$5,094

$501 ฿16.5K

-67.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,543 NT$80.4K

$508 ฿16.8K

401.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.18

5.57

-60.86%

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

Last update for Miaoli: September 6, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $220 in Miaoli and $733 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Miaoli pays 401% 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 Miaoli vs $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $316 vs $275, with Phuket cheaper for home cooking.

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

Miaoli vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Miaoli and Phuket differ by about 61% in total monthly costs ($788 vs $1,265 including rent). Miaoli is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 401% higher in Miaoli, 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: $220 in Miaoli versus $733 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Phuket pay roughly 15% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $788 per month in Miaoli versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 61% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $788 in Miaoli versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Miaoli but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Miaoli the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Miaoli 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 Miaoli gentler on the wallet – expenses run 61% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.