Cost of Living Comparison Between Nagano and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Nagano and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,176 per month in Nagano vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,896 per month in Nagano vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,616 per month in Nagano vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Nagano is about 7% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Nagano and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Nagano 12% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.76 ¥1,082

$4.70 ฿154

43.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.32 ¥5,650

$45.37 ฿1,483

-22.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.09 ¥655

$8.43 ฿276

-51.48%

Cappuccino

$3.51 ¥562

$2.93 ฿95.7

19.80%

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

$1.09 ¥174

$0.69 ฿22.42

57.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 ¥102

$0.37 ฿12.00

72.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.10 ¥336

$2.41 ฿78.7

-12.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ¥330

$3.72 ฿122

-44.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥200

$2.23 ฿73.0

-43.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 ¥194

$1.83 ฿59.9

-33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.67 ¥748

$2.17 ฿70.9

115.21%

Eggs

$1.52 ¥243

$2.21 ฿72.4

-31.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.24 ¥1,957

$19.74 ฿645

-37.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.25 ¥1,959

$3.63 ฿119

237.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.89 ¥2,702

$13.53 ฿442

24.83%

Apples (1kg)

$7.52 ¥1,202

$3.28 ฿107

129.27%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 ¥412

$1.61 ฿52.7

59.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.55 ¥729

$2.41 ฿78.7

88.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.44 ¥710

$2.08 ฿68.1

113.46%

Potato (1kg)

$3.73 ¥597

$1.53 ฿49.97

143.79%

Onion (1kg)

$3.60 ¥575

$1.48 ฿48.41

143.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ¥171

$0.99 ฿32.32

8.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ¥106

$0.51 ฿16.68

29.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.58 ¥892

$4.41 ฿144

26.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.13 ¥1,460

$19.38 ฿634

-52.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 ¥399

$1.78 ฿58.1

40.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 ¥570

$2.71 ฿88.7

31.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 ¥238

$1.37 ฿44.83

8.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.0 ¥8,960

$11.39 ฿372

391.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ¥502

$3.02 ฿98.7

3.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.00 ¥480

$0.99 ฿32.51

203.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.41 ¥3,265

$14.10 ฿461

44.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ¥185

$1.36 ฿44.55

-14.71%

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

$23.8K ¥3.8M

$28.2K ฿921.9K

-15.60%

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

$17.4K ¥2.8M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-47.21%

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

$82.9 ¥13.3K

$122 ฿3,978

-31.90%

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

$29.54 ¥4,724

$13.57 ฿444

117.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.05 ¥2,728

$18.31 ฿599

-6.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 ¥8,949

$60.2 ฿1,969

-7.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.08 ¥2,253

$17.14 ฿560

-17.85%

Cinema Ticket

$11.51 ¥1,841

$8.69 ฿284

32.45%

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

$281 ¥45.0K

$693 ฿22.7K

-59.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K ¥2.1M

$15.7K ฿512.8K

-15.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.14 ¥7,060

$59.5 ฿1,946

-25.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.58 ¥4,731

$34.77 ฿1,137

-14.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.2 ¥9,630

$115 ฿3,746

-47.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.0 ¥15.3K

$83.3 ฿2,723

15.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$483 ¥77.2K

$613 ฿20.0K

-21.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$275 ¥43.9K

$437 ฿14.3K

-37.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$854 ¥136.6K

$2,094 ฿68.5K

-59.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$665 ¥106.4K

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-55.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$633 ¥101.3K

$508 ฿16.6K

24.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-62.48%

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

Last update for Nagano: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $483 in Nagano 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 25% higher in Nagano, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Nagano versus $45.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $360 in Nagano 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

Nagano vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 8% more than Nagano, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,764 per month in Nagano 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 Nagano, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Nagano and $45.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,176 in Nagano and $1,265 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Nagano, where all-in costs run around $1,176, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Nagano it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nagano costs $1,176 versus $1,265 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Nagano. 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.