Cost of Living Comparison Between Nanning and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Nanning and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $693 in Nanning versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,089 in Nanning versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,484 in Nanning versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Nanning costs roughly 45% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Nanning 48% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.73 ¥18.49

$4.56 ฿149

-40.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.02 ¥129

$46.63 ฿1,519

-59.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.30 ¥35.84

$8.47 ฿276

-37.43%

Cappuccino

$2.20 ¥14.89

$3.03 ฿98.6

-27.39%

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

$0.56 ¥3.76

$0.69 ฿22.45

-18.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.84

$0.37 ฿11.92

-27.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.82 ¥5.54

$2.49 ฿81.0

-67.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 ¥15.73

$3.66 ฿119

-36.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 ¥11.53

$2.18 ฿71.0

-22.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 ¥7.43

$1.90 ฿62.0

-42.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ¥6.99

$2.20 ฿71.6

-53.18%

Eggs

$1.55 ¥10.48

$2.22 ฿72.4

-30.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 ¥62.1

$19.99 ฿651

-54.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.38 ¥22.88

$3.66 ฿119

-7.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.80 ¥100

$13.25 ฿432

11.70%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 ¥13.15

$3.23 ฿105

-39.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ¥7.20

$1.70 ฿55.3

-37.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 ¥8.12

$2.39 ฿78.0

-49.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 ¥10.96

$2.08 ฿67.7

-22.12%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 ¥5.82

$1.59 ฿51.8

-45.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 ¥7.69

$1.48 ฿48.31

-22.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 ¥3.12

$1.03 ฿33.54

-55.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ¥3.43

$0.52 ฿16.83

-1.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.56 ¥24.04

$4.25 ฿138

-16.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.57 ¥98.5

$18.79 ฿612

-22.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥5.81

$1.76 ฿57.2

-51.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 ¥12.16

$2.76 ฿89.8

-34.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.50 ¥3.41

$1.36 ฿44.32

-63.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.72 ¥99.5

$11.36 ฿370

29.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 ¥8.57

$3.14 ฿102

-59.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ¥2.46

$1.04 ฿33.74

-65.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.47 ¥50.5

$13.77 ฿448

-45.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.70

$1.34 ฿43.79

-14.93%

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

$21.4K ¥144.7K

$27.7K ฿901.4K

-22.66%

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

$12.7K ¥85.7K

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-62.58%

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

$39.71 ¥269

$124 ฿4,025

-67.87%

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

$13.27 ¥89.7

$13.52 ฿440

-1.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.77 ¥72.8

$18.69 ฿609

-42.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 ¥465

$61.8 ฿2,013

11.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.77 ¥45.75

$17.25 ฿562

-60.75%

Cinema Ticket

$5.66 ¥38.25

$9.14 ฿298

-38.07%

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

$299 ¥2,019

$703 ฿22.9K

-57.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K ¥94.5K

$15.9K ฿517.0K

-11.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.85 ¥127

$59.5 ฿1,937

-68.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.69 ¥187

$35.07 ฿1,142

-21.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.8 ¥431

$115 ฿3,754

-44.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 ¥688

$84.1 ฿2,737

21.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$236 ¥1,597

$619 ฿20.1K

-61.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$146 ¥990

$433 ฿14.1K

-66.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$350 ¥2,366

$2,062 ฿67.2K

-83.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 ¥1,840

$1,511 ฿49.2K

-81.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,469 ¥23.5K

$3,646 ฿118.7K

-4.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,453 ¥9,822

$2,626 ฿85.5K

-44.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 ¥4,583

$507 ฿16.5K

33.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.18

5.33

-21.58%

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

Last update for Nanning: June 6, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $236 in Nanning and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nanning pays 34% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $19.00 in Nanning vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $293 per month, with Nanning 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

Nanning vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nanning and Phuket differ by about 82% in total monthly costs ($693 vs $1,261 including rent). Nanning is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Nanning pays 34% 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: $236 in Nanning versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Nanning runs roughly 30% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $299 in Nanning versus $703 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $693 in Nanning versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Nanning but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Nanning 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, Nanning 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 Nanning gentler on the wallet – expenses run 82% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.