Cost of Living Comparison Between Nanjing and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Nanjing and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $830 in Nanjing versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,302 in Nanjing versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,773 in Nanjing versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Nanjing costs roughly 34% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Nanjing 38% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.72 ¥18.42

$4.70 ฿154

-42.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.36 ¥151

$45.37 ฿1,483

-50.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.80 ¥32.48

$8.43 ฿276

-43.06%

Cappuccino

$3.12 ¥21.15

$2.93 ฿95.7

6.48%

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

$0.45 ¥3.03

$0.69 ฿22.42

-34.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 ¥1.62

$0.37 ฿12.00

-35.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.82 ¥5.58

$2.41 ฿78.7

-65.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ¥13.93

$3.72 ฿122

-44.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 ¥15.76

$2.23 ฿73.0

4.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 ¥14.65

$1.83 ฿59.9

18.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 ¥5.22

$2.17 ฿70.9

-64.52%

Eggs

$1.49 ¥10.12

$2.21 ฿72.4

-32.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.23 ¥62.5

$19.74 ฿645

-53.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.75 ¥18.63

$3.63 ฿119

-24.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.96 ¥60.6

$13.53 ฿442

-33.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.22 ¥15.02

$3.28 ฿107

-32.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 ¥9.63

$1.61 ฿52.7

-11.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ¥11.04

$2.41 ฿78.7

-32.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 ¥8.12

$2.08 ฿68.1

-42.31%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 ¥6.23

$1.53 ฿49.97

-39.87%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 ¥6.17

$1.48 ฿48.41

-38.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 ¥5.59

$0.99 ฿32.32

-16.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ¥3.86

$0.51 ฿16.68

11.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.52 ¥23.82

$4.41 ฿144

-20.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.05 ¥88.3

$19.38 ฿634

-32.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 ¥6.20

$1.78 ฿58.1

-48.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 ¥10.20

$2.71 ฿88.7

-44.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 ¥1.82

$1.37 ฿44.83

-80.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.67 ¥187

$11.39 ฿372

142.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.57 ¥10.60

$3.02 ฿98.7

-48.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ¥2.43

$0.99 ฿32.51

-63.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.41 ¥56.9

$14.10 ฿461

-40.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥7.61

$1.36 ฿44.55

-16.91%

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

$17.0K ¥114.8K

$28.2K ฿921.9K

-39.85%

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

$14.7K ¥99.2K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-55.45%

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

$42.34 ¥287

$122 ฿3,978

-65.21%

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

$10.72 ¥72.6

$13.57 ฿444

-21.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.92 ¥73.9

$18.31 ฿599

-40.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.44 ¥179

$60.2 ฿1,969

-56.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 ¥199

$17.14 ฿560

71.35%

Cinema Ticket

$5.41 ¥36.65

$8.69 ฿284

-37.74%

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

$406 ¥2,748

$693 ฿22.7K

-41.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K ¥125.0K

$15.7K ฿512.8K

17.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.23 ¥286

$59.5 ฿1,946

-29.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.05 ¥224

$34.77 ฿1,137

-4.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.2 ¥455

$115 ฿3,746

-41.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.6 ¥573

$83.3 ฿2,723

1.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 ¥2,880

$613 ฿20.0K

-30.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$300 ¥2,029

$437 ฿14.3K

-31.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$911 ¥6,169

$2,094 ฿68.5K

-56.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$541 ¥3,664

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-64.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,311 ¥35.9K

$3,749 ฿122.6K

41.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,154 ¥21.3K

$2,616 ฿85.5K

20.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,388 ¥9,395

$508 ฿16.6K

173.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.87

5.33

-27.39%

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

Last update for Nanjing: May 30, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $425 in Nanjing and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nanjing pays 173% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $22.00 in Nanjing vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $203 vs $293 per month, with Nanjing cheaper across the board.

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

Nanjing vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nanjing is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 52% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Nanjing pays 173% more on average, 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: $425 in Nanjing versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Nanjing – a meal for two runs $22.00 versus $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $830 per month in Nanjing versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 52% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $830 in Nanjing versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Nanjing but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Nanjing the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Nanjing is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Nanjing 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 Nanjing gentler on the wallet – expenses run 52% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.