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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,299 per month in Nishinomiya vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,016 per month in Nishinomiya vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,732 per month in Nishinomiya vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Nishinomiya costs about 3% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Nishinomiya and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Nishinomiya 3% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nishinomiya
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.98 ¥1,116
$4.70 ฿154
48.51%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.32 ¥5,650
$45.37 ฿1,483
-22.15%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.78 ¥764
$8.43 ฿276
-43.30%
Cappuccino
$3.00 ¥480
$2.93 ฿95.7
2.39%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.08 ¥173
$0.69 ฿22.42
56.52%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70 ¥112
$0.37 ฿12.00
89.19%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.84 ¥454
$2.41 ฿78.7
17.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.03 ¥485
$3.72 ฿122
-18.55%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nishinomiya
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.52 ¥243
$2.23 ฿73.0
-31.84%
White Bread (500g)
$1.72 ¥275
$1.83 ฿59.9
-6.01%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.79 ¥766
$2.17 ฿70.9
120.74%
Eggs
$2.41 ¥385
$2.21 ฿72.4
9.05%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.57 ¥1,691
$19.74 ฿645
-46.45%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.56 ¥1,209
$3.63 ฿119
108.26%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$32.07 ¥5,130
$13.53 ฿442
137.03%
Apples (1kg)
$5.42 ¥867
$3.28 ฿107
65.24%
Banana (1kg)
$2.19 ¥350
$1.61 ฿52.7
36.02%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.38 ¥541
$2.41 ฿78.7
40.25%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.89 ¥1,102
$2.08 ฿68.1
231.25%
Potato (1kg)
$1.77 ¥283
$1.53 ฿49.97
15.69%
Onion (1kg)
$2.65 ¥423
$1.48 ฿48.41
79.05%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.32 ¥211
$0.99 ฿32.32
33.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84 ¥135
$0.51 ฿16.68
64.71%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.38 ¥540
$4.41 ฿144
-23.36%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.31 ¥1,489
$19.38 ฿634
-51.96%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.77 ¥444
$1.78 ฿58.1
55.62%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28 ¥365
$2.71 ฿88.7
-15.87%
🚌 Getting Around
Nishinomiya
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.28 ¥205
$1.37 ฿44.83
-6.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.5 ¥8,712
$11.39 ฿372
378.23%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.44 ¥550
$3.02 ฿98.7
13.91%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.92 ¥467
$0.99 ฿32.51
194.95%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.26 ¥2,761
$14.10 ฿461
22.41%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.23 ¥196
$1.36 ฿44.55
-9.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.4K ¥3.7M
$28.2K ฿921.9K
-16.93%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$17.3K ¥2.8M
$32.9K ฿1.1M
-47.56%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nishinomiya
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$133 ¥21.3K
$122 ฿3,978
9.52%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.10 ¥4,335
$13.57 ฿444
99.71%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.40 ¥4,863
$18.31 ฿599
66.03%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nishinomiya
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.8 ¥8,441
$60.2 ฿1,969
-12.37%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.65 ¥2,183
$17.14 ฿560
-20.36%
Cinema Ticket
$12.23 ¥1,957
$8.69 ฿284
40.74%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nishinomiya
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$69.8 ¥11.2K
$693 ฿22.7K
-89.93%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.5K ¥1.7M
$15.7K ฿512.8K
-33.30%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nishinomiya
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.38 ¥7,098
$59.5 ฿1,946
-25.45%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.99 ¥4,636
$34.77 ฿1,137
-16.62%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$57.2 ¥9,144
$115 ฿3,746
-50.11%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.5 ¥14.8K
$83.3 ฿2,723
11.03%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nishinomiya
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$461 ¥73.8K
$613 ฿20.0K
-24.77%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$335 ¥53.5K
$437 ฿14.3K
-23.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$860 ¥137.5K
$2,094 ฿68.5K
-58.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$657 ¥105.0K
$1,509 ฿49.3K
-56.50%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$3,749 ฿122.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$2,616 ฿85.5K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nishinomiya
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,959 ¥313.4K
$508 ฿16.6K
285.60%
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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $461 in Nishinomiya versus $613 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 286% 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 $45.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $378 in Nishinomiya vs $293 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 3%, 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 $1,949 per month in Nishinomiya and $1,898 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 Phuket?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Nishinomiya and $45.00 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 vs Phuket?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,299 in Nishinomiya and $1,265 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 Nishinomiya or Phuket?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Nishinomiya at $1,299. 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.

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