Cost of Living Comparison Between Nishinomiya and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Nishinomiya and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,237 per month in Nishinomiya vs $1,253 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,938 per month in Nishinomiya vs $2,043 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,640 per month in Nishinomiya vs $2,833 in Phuket, rent included.

Nishinomiya is about 1% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Nishinomiya and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Nishinomiya 10% lower, Phuket 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.54 ¥1,333

$4.56 ฿150

87.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.27 ¥4,885

$32.62 ฿1,072

-4.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.90 ¥766

$8.90 ฿293

-44.94%

Cappuccino

$2.42 ¥377

$2.80 ฿92.2

-13.57%

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

$1.22 ¥191

$0.88 ฿28.93

38.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 ¥113

$0.49 ฿16.08

46.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.71 ¥424

$2.39 ฿78.5

13.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 ¥485

$3.71 ฿122

-16.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 ¥231

$1.79 ฿58.7

-17.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ¥236

$1.44 ฿47.38

4.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.19 ¥810

$1.58 ฿52.1

228.48%

Eggs

$2.11 ¥330

$2.13 ฿69.9

-0.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.40 ¥1,469

$19.92 ฿655

-52.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.50 ¥1,484

$3.43 ฿113

176.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.29 ¥2,858

$11.33 ฿372

61.43%

Apples (1kg)

$4.90 ¥765

$2.95 ฿96.9

66.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 ¥298

$1.72 ฿56.6

11.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.07 ¥480

$2.32 ฿76.4

32.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.23 ¥973

$2.08 ฿68.4

199.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 ¥241

$1.47 ฿48.33

4.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.43 ¥380

$1.36 ฿44.64

78.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 ¥197

$1.10 ฿36.12

14.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ¥130

$0.57 ฿18.89

45.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.87 ¥604

$4.27 ฿140

-9.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.66 ¥1,509

$18.42 ฿605

-47.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 ¥368

$1.87 ฿61.5

26.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥333

$2.92 ฿96.0

-27.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 ¥232

$2.22 ฿72.9

-32.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.37 ¥7,556

$22.90 ฿753

111.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 ¥482

$3.03 ฿99.6

1.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.88 ¥450

$1.07 ฿35.31

169.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.79 ¥2,467

$3.93 ฿129

301.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ¥172

$1.49 ฿49.04

-26.17%

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

$21.6K ¥3.4M

$27.1K ฿891.7K

-20.42%

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

$15.0K ¥2.4M

$27.5K ฿902.3K

-45.19%

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

$117 ¥18.2K

$103 ฿3,379

13.63%

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

$23.45 ¥3,663

$10.99 ฿361

113.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.12 ¥4,705

$17.51 ฿576

72.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.4 ¥9,905

$53.5 ฿1,760

18.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$11.48 ¥1,794

$7.48 ฿246

53.48%

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

$501 ¥78.2K

$557 ฿18.3K

-10.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.7K ¥2.0M

$11.9K ฿389.6K

7.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.28 ¥6,918

$64.1 ฿2,106

-30.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.37 ¥4,744

$29.07 ฿956

4.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.3 ¥9,420

$96.0 ฿3,154

-37.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.5 ¥14.1K

$90.3 ฿2,970

0.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ¥67.9K

$730 ฿24.0K

-40.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$297 ¥46.4K

$500 ฿16.4K

-40.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$909 ¥142.0K

$2,090 ฿68.7K

-56.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$783 ¥122.3K

$1,209 ฿39.7K

-35.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,053 ¥633.2K

$3,596 ฿118.2K

12.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,818 ¥284.0K

$2,512 ฿82.6K

-27.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,966 ¥307.1K

$503 ฿16.5K

290.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.66

5.57

-70.20%

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

Last update for Nishinomiya: August 29, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Nishinomiya versus $730 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 291% higher in Nishinomiya, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Nishinomiya versus $33.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $329 in Nishinomiya vs $273 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

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 1%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,855 per month in Nishinomiya and $1,880 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nishinomiya, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Nishinomiya and $33.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,237 in Nishinomiya and $1,253 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Nishinomiya, where all-in costs run around $1,237, than in Phuket at $1,253. In Nishinomiya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Nishinomiya – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Nishinomiya. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.