Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Naha and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,278 a month against $1,357 in Naha, rent and utilities included – about $950 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Naha outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Naha, Japan
Phuket, Thailand
Naha
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,357
/mo nomad
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Naha and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Naha and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,357 per month in Naha vs $1,278 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Naha $1,357
  • Phuket $1,278

A couple spends around $2,090 per month in Naha vs $2,216 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Naha $2,090
  • Phuket $2,216

A family of three spends $2,822 per month in Naha vs $3,154 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Naha $2,822
  • Phuket $3,154

Naha costs about 6% more than Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Naha
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.94 ¥779
$4.47 ฿151
10.51%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$30.03 ¥4,741
$32.41 ฿1,094
-7.34%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.10 ¥805
$8.81 ฿297
-42.11%
Cappuccino
$3.03 ¥479
$2.83 ฿95.5
7.07%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.32 ¥209
$0.87 ฿29.43
51.72%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90 ¥142
$0.49 ฿16.67
83.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.65 ¥418
$2.56 ฿86.4
3.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.01 ¥634
$3.68 ฿124
8.97%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Naha
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.62 ¥256
$1.66 ฿56.0
-2.41%
White Bread (500g)
$2.14 ¥338
$1.46 ฿49.35
46.58%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.76 ¥594
$1.50 ฿50.6
150.67%
Eggs
$1.86 ¥294
$2.09 ฿70.5
-11.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.66 ¥2,788
$19.07 ฿644
-7.39%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.74 ¥748
$3.30 ฿111
43.64%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$22.27 ¥3,516
$10.91 ฿368
104.12%
Apples (1kg)
$3.65 ¥577
$2.93 ฿99.0
24.57%
Banana (1kg)
$2.60 ¥410
$1.69 ฿57.1
53.85%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.24 ¥353
$2.25 ฿75.8
-0.44%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.01 ¥791
$2.08 ฿70.1
140.87%
Potato (1kg)
$2.36 ¥373
$1.51 ฿51.0
56.29%
Onion (1kg)
$2.56 ¥404
$1.38 ฿46.56
85.51%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.33 ¥210
$1.07 ฿35.99
24.30%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.75 ¥118
$0.52 ฿17.52
44.23%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.02 ¥635
$4.20 ฿142
-4.29%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.41 ¥1,013
$18.79 ฿634
-65.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.90 ¥300
$1.82 ฿61.5
4.40%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.34 ¥528
$2.84 ฿95.9
17.61%
🚌 Getting Around
Naha
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.45 ฿49.03
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$56.7 ฿1,913
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.81 ¥601
$3.02 ฿102
26.16%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.54 ¥559
$1.02 ฿34.36
247.06%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.37 ¥1,795
$3.69 ฿125
208.13%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.04 ¥164
$1.47 ฿49.81
-29.25%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.8K ¥3.3M
$26.8K ฿904.3K
-22.32%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$15.1K ¥2.4M
$26.7K ฿901.3K
-43.28%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Naha
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$95.6 ¥15.1K
$96.4 ฿3,254
-0.81%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.73 ¥3,905
$11.26 ฿380
119.63%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$52.7 ¥8,327
$16.85 ฿569
213.00%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Naha
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$67.2 ฿2,270
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$10.73 ฿362
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.18 ¥1,923
$7.50 ฿253
62.40%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Naha
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$329 ¥51.9K
$476 ฿16.1K
-30.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,677 ¥896.3K
$11.3K ฿380.4K
-49.60%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Naha
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.58 ¥7,829
$62.4 ฿2,106
-20.49%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$23.56 ¥3,719
$28.41 ฿959
-17.07%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$81.8 ¥12.9K
$94.3 ฿3,184
-13.27%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 ¥15.5K
$85.8 ฿2,898
14.09%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Naha
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$744 ¥117.4K
$716 ฿24.2K
3.87%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$576 ¥90.9K
$491 ฿16.6K
17.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,125 ¥177.7K
$1,927 ฿65.1K
-41.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,121 ¥177.1K
$1,431 ฿48.3K
-21.61%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$4,175 ฿141.0K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$3,045 ฿102.8K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Naha
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,340 ¥211.6K
$502 ฿17.0K
166.88%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.23
5.57
-59.96%

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

Last update for Naha: October 24, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Naha
$576
Phuket
$491 14.8% $85
Groceries & Markets
Naha
$327
Phuket
$266 18.6% $61
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Naha
$173
Phuket
$124 28.1% $49
Eating Out
Naha
$121
Phuket
$122 0.3% $0.4
Clothing & Footwear
Naha
$114
Phuket
$122 7.1% $8.1
Sport & Entertainment
Naha
$24 *
Phuket
$82 238% $58
Getting Around
Naha
$22 *
Phuket
$71 228% $49

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $744 in Naha versus $716 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 in Naha are about 2.7 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30 in Naha versus $32 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $327 in Naha vs $266 in Phuket – so Phuket wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇯🇵 Naha
🇹🇭 Phuket
🕒 Local time
05:26 5:26 AM
03:26 3:26 AM
2 h behind Naha
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
317,625
79,308
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to JPY – Japanese Yen Converter

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 176 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.69 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Naha Phuket 3,700 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Naha
  • Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Naha vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Naha or Phuket?
Naha costs about 6% more than Phuket, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Naha and in Phuket?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,035 per month in Naha and $1,917 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Naha compared to Phuket?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $744 in Naha and $716 in Phuket. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
How much does it cost to live in Naha compared to Phuket?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,357 in Naha and $1,278 in Phuket. That makes Phuket about 6% cheaper.
How do childcare costs compare in Naha and in Phuket?
Kindergarten costs $329 per month in Naha and $476 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Naha or in Phuket?
$1,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,357 in Naha and $1,278 in Phuket, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Naha or Phuket?
It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,278 in Phuket to $1,357 in Naha. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How safe is Naha compared to Phuket?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Should I move to Naha or to Phuket?
If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Naha makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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