Cost of Living Comparison Between Morioka and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Morioka and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,225 per month in Morioka vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,929 per month in Morioka vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,633 per month in Morioka vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.04 ¥1,144

$4.55 ฿153

54.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.74 ¥5,644

$46.18 ฿1,553

-24.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.35 ¥869

$8.84 ฿297

-39.48%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ¥500

$3.06 ฿103

0.65%

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

$1.06 ¥173

$0.73 ฿24.40

45.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 ¥132

$0.40 ฿13.39

102.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.67 ¥434

$2.43 ฿81.8

9.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ¥519

$3.78 ฿127

-15.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 ¥246

$2.26 ฿76.0

-32.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ¥260

$1.81 ฿60.9

-11.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.80 ¥780

$2.25 ฿75.8

113.33%

Eggs

$2.20 ¥358

$2.25 ฿75.5

-2.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.26 ¥1,668

$19.51 ฿656

-47.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.50 ¥1,056

$3.65 ฿123

78.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.62 ¥2,539

$13.05 ฿439

19.69%

Apples (1kg)

$5.45 ¥886

$3.23 ฿109

68.73%

Banana (1kg)

$2.54 ¥413

$1.62 ฿54.4

56.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.09 ¥664

$2.38 ฿80.1

71.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.83 ¥947

$2.03 ฿68.1

187.19%

Potato (1kg)

$3.14 ¥510

$1.53 ฿51.6

105.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.57 ¥418

$1.50 ฿50.5

71.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 ¥227

$0.98 ฿32.91

42.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥143

$0.52 ฿17.39

69.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.24 ¥690

$4.44 ฿149

-4.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 ¥1,237

$18.32 ฿616

-58.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 ¥310

$1.86 ฿62.7

2.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 ¥368

$2.68 ฿90.1

-15.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.60 ¥260

$1.41 ฿47.46

13.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.9 ¥9,089

$11.70 ฿393

378.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.44 ¥559

$3.11 ฿105

10.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.92 ¥475

$1.04 ฿35.06

180.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.15 ¥3,437

$14.11 ฿474

49.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥195

$1.31 ฿44.10

-8.40%

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

$22.9K ¥3.7M

$27.8K ฿935.4K

-17.54%

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

$17.5K ¥2.8M

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-47.31%

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

$143 ¥23.2K

$122 ฿4,118

16.49%

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

$27.37 ¥4,447

$13.59 ฿457

101.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.59 ¥5,457

$18.70 ฿629

79.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 ¥9,063

$60.5 ฿2,034

-7.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.93 ¥2,264

$16.98 ฿571

-17.96%

Cinema Ticket

$12.54 ¥2,037

$9.07 ฿305

38.26%

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

$286 ¥46.5K

$706 ฿23.8K

-59.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$15.8K ฿531.5K

-16.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.77 ¥7,111

$58.6 ฿1,969

-25.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.01 ¥4,875

$35.36 ฿1,189

-15.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.8 ¥9,879

$115 ฿3,883

-47.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.5 ¥14.9K

$83.7 ฿2,816

9.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$460 ¥74.7K

$626 ฿21.0K

-26.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$334 ¥54.2K

$445 ฿15.0K

-25.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$851 ¥138.3K

$2,040 ฿68.6K

-58.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$669 ¥108.7K

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-55.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,706 ¥764.6K

$3,483 ฿117.1K

35.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,114 ¥343.4K

$2,577 ฿86.7K

-17.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

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 Morioka: July 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $460 in Morioka 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Morioka versus $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $317 in Morioka 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

Morioka vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,225 in Morioka, $1,250 in Phuket – roughly 2% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,837 per month in Morioka 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 Morioka, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 10% cheaper in Phuket – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Morioka and $46.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Morioka, where all-in costs run around $1,225, than in Phuket at $1,250. In Morioka 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 $1,225 in Morioka to $1,250 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 Morioka. 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.