Cost of Living Comparison Between New Taipei City and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between New Taipei City and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,384 in New Taipei City versus $1,223 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,277 in New Taipei City versus $2,237 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,171 in New Taipei City versus $3,251 in Phuket.

Living in New Taipei City is roughly 13% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: New Taipei City is 4% above, Phuket is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.06 NT$160

$4.51 ฿148

12.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.66 NT$1,065

$46.62 ฿1,528

-27.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 NT$183

$8.49 ฿278

-31.80%

Cappuccino

$2.96 NT$93.6

$3.08 ฿101

-3.90%

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

$0.89 NT$28.17

$0.68 ฿22.26

30.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 NT$24.91

$0.36 ฿11.84

119.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 NT$64.0

$2.43 ฿79.5

-16.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 NT$86.8

$3.63 ฿119

-24.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.21 NT$102

$2.19 ฿71.7

46.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 NT$62.6

$1.81 ฿59.5

9.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.11 NT$98.4

$2.23 ฿73.1

39.46%

Eggs

$2.99 NT$94.6

$2.24 ฿73.3

33.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.96 NT$631

$19.60 ฿642

1.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.40 NT$266

$3.72 ฿122

125.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.12 NT$636

$13.47 ฿441

49.37%

Apples (1kg)

$4.58 NT$145

$3.36 ฿110

36.31%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 NT$81.9

$1.62 ฿53.0

59.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.65 NT$84.0

$2.41 ฿79.0

9.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.06 NT$128

$1.99 ฿65.2

104.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.85 NT$90.0

$1.53 ฿50.2

86.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 NT$69.9

$1.45 ฿47.59

52.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.11 NT$66.8

$1.01 ฿33.23

108.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 NT$40.55

$0.48 ฿15.86

166.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 NT$125

$4.27 ฿140

-7.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.21 NT$292

$19.12 ฿627

-51.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 NT$53.9

$1.84 ฿60.2

-7.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 NT$77.1

$2.74 ฿89.8

-10.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 NT$22.19

$1.42 ฿46.44

-50.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.96 NT$1,264

$11.72 ฿384

240.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 NT$89.0

$3.00 ฿98.4

-6.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 NT$23.69

$1.05 ฿34.28

-28.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.08 NT$319

$13.90 ฿456

-27.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 NT$32.42

$1.29 ฿42.28

-20.93%

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

$37.6K NT$1.2M

$28.0K ฿918.7K

34.15%

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

$27.6K NT$874.0K

$33.5K ฿1.1M

-17.54%

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

$96.0 NT$3,037

$122 ฿3,997

-21.31%

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

$24.90 NT$788

$13.93 ฿457

78.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.51 NT$776

$18.87 ฿618

29.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.24 NT$1,242

$61.3 ฿2,008

-35.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.71 NT$529

$16.84 ฿552

-0.77%

Cinema Ticket

$11.89 NT$376

$8.89 ฿291

33.75%

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

$626 NT$19.8K

$691 ฿22.7K

-9.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K NT$581.3K

$16.2K ฿529.5K

13.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.3 NT$2,413

$57.8 ฿1,894

31.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.25 NT$1,084

$35.39 ฿1,160

-3.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.4 NT$2,955

$113 ฿3,716

-17.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 NT$3,852

$83.0 ฿2,720

46.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$651 NT$20.6K

$607 ฿19.9K

7.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$467 NT$14.8K

$448 ฿14.7K

4.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,680 NT$53.1K

$2,029 ฿66.5K

-17.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 NT$33.8K

$1,493 ฿48.9K

-28.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.8K NT$404.5K

$3,585 ฿117.5K

256.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,417 NT$234.6K

$2,585 ฿84.7K

186.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,376 NT$43.5K

$505 ฿16.5K

172.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.19

5.33

-58.91%

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

Last update for New Taipei City: June 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $651 in New Taipei City and $607 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

New Taipei City pays 173% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $34.00 in New Taipei City vs $47.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $376 vs $292, with Phuket cheaper for home cooking.

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

New Taipei City vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New Taipei City and Phuket differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($1,384 vs $1,223 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 173% higher in New Taipei City, 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: $651 in New Taipei City versus $607 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,384 per month in New Taipei City versus $1,223 in Phuket – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 241% less than in New Taipei City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,223 in Phuket versus $1,384 in New Taipei City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in New Taipei City. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket 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, New Taipei City 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in New Taipei City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.