😐A single person spends $1,277 per month in Nishinomiya vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $2,032 per month in Nishinomiya vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $2,786 per month in Nishinomiya vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.
😐Nishinomiya costs about 2% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Nishinomiya and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Nishinomiya4% lower, Phuket6% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nishinomiya
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.88¥1,117
$4.55฿153
51.21%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.15¥5,711
$46.18฿1,553
-23.88%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.83¥785
$8.84฿297
-45.36%
Cappuccino
$3.02¥491
$3.06฿103
-1.31%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.12¥182
$0.73฿24.40
53.42%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.75¥121
$0.40฿13.39
87.50%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.82¥458
$2.43฿81.8
16.05%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.18¥516
$3.78฿127
-15.87%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nishinomiya
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.60¥260
$2.26฿76.0
-29.20%
White Bread(500g)
$1.72¥279
$1.81฿60.9
-4.97%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$4.87¥791
$2.25฿75.8
116.44%
Eggs
$2.38¥386
$2.25฿75.5
5.78%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.75¥1,746
$19.51฿656
-44.90%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.82¥1,270
$3.65฿123
114.25%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$32.78¥5,326
$13.05฿439
151.19%
Apples(1kg)
$5.43¥882
$3.23฿109
68.11%
Banana(1kg)
$2.10¥341
$1.62฿54.4
29.63%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.40¥552
$2.38฿80.1
42.86%
Tomato(1kg)
$6.71¥1,090
$2.03฿68.1
230.54%
Potato(1kg)
$1.70¥276
$1.53฿51.6
11.11%
Onion(1kg)
$2.64¥429
$1.50฿50.5
76.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.33¥216
$0.98฿32.91
35.71%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.82¥133
$0.52฿17.39
57.69%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.39¥550
$4.44฿149
-23.65%
Wine(Bottle)
$9.46¥1,538
$18.32฿616
-48.36%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.73¥443
$1.86฿62.7
46.77%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.34¥381
$2.68฿90.1
-12.69%
🚌 Getting Around
Nishinomiya
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.35¥219
$1.41฿47.46
-4.26%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$55.9¥9,087
$11.70฿393
378.03%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.52¥572
$3.11฿105
13.18%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.96¥481
$1.04฿35.06
184.62%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$17.63¥2,865
$14.11฿474
24.95%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.23¥201
$1.31฿44.10
-6.11%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.9K¥3.7M
$27.8K฿935.4K
-17.76%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$17.2K¥2.8M
$33.2K฿1.1M
-48.17%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nishinomiya
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$134¥21.7K
$122฿4,118
9.30%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.03¥4,391
$13.59฿457
98.90%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.77¥5,000
$18.70฿629
64.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nishinomiya
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.8¥8,419
$60.5฿2,034
-14.33%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.65¥2,218
$16.98฿571
-19.61%
Cinema Ticket
$12.59¥2,046
$9.07฿305
38.81%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nishinomiya
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$69.9¥11.4K
$706฿23.8K
-90.11%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.2K¥1.7M
$15.8K฿531.5K
-35.27%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nishinomiya
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.40¥7,215
$58.6฿1,969
-24.17%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.59¥4,808
$35.36฿1,189
-16.32%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$56.4¥9,166
$115฿3,883
-51.14%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$91.0¥14.8K
$83.7฿2,816
8.65%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nishinomiya
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$467¥75.9K
$626฿21.0K
-25.29%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$335¥54.4K
$445฿15.0K
-24.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$870¥141.3K
$2,040฿68.6K
-57.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$653¥106.2K
$1,492฿50.2K
-56.21%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,818¥620.3K
$3,483฿117.1K
9.63%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,940¥315.1K
$2,577฿86.7K
-24.72%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nishinomiya
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,947¥316.3K
$500฿16.8K
289.46%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
1.78
5.33
-66.60%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Nishinomiya: July 14, 2026
Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $467 in Nishinomiya versus $626 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 289% higher in Nishinomiya, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Nishinomiya versus $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $381 in Nishinomiya vs $289 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
Nishinomiya vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Nishinomiya?
Yes – Nishinomiya is pricier by about 2%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,915 per month in Nishinomiya and $1,875 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Nishinomiya or in Phuket?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Nishinomiya and $46.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Nishinomiya and in Phuket?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,277 in Nishinomiya and $1,250 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Nishinomiya or in Phuket?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,250, than in Nishinomiya at $1,277. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nishinomiya it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Nishinomiya or Phuket more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Nishinomiya or Phuket?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Nishinomiya makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Nishinomiya vs other spots: cost of living compared