Cost of Living Comparison Between Obihiro and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Obihiro and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,216 per month in Obihiro vs $1,253 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,936 per month in Obihiro vs $2,043 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,656 per month in Obihiro vs $2,833 in Phuket, rent included.

Obihiro is about 3% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Obihiro and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Obihiro 12% lower, Phuket 9% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Obihiro
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.91 ¥1,235
$4.56 ฿150
73.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$31.45 ¥4,914
$32.62 ฿1,072
-3.59%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.92 ¥768
$8.90 ฿293
-44.72%
Cappuccino
$2.86 ¥446
$2.80 ฿92.2
2.14%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.09 ¥170
$0.88 ฿28.93
23.86%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.52 ¥238
$0.49 ฿16.08
210.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.56 ¥400
$2.39 ฿78.5
7.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.41 ¥533
$3.71 ฿122
-8.09%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Obihiro
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.50 ¥234
$1.79 ฿58.7
-16.20%
White Bread (500g)
$1.51 ¥236
$1.44 ฿47.38
4.86%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.13 ¥646
$1.58 ฿52.1
161.39%
Eggs
$2.02 ¥316
$2.13 ฿69.9
-5.16%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.03 ¥1,722
$19.92 ฿655
-44.63%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.83 ¥1,066
$3.43 ฿113
99.13%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.97 ¥2,495
$11.33 ฿372
40.95%
Apples (1kg)
$5.39 ¥843
$2.95 ฿96.9
82.71%
Banana (1kg)
$2.34 ¥365
$1.72 ฿56.6
36.05%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.66 ¥416
$2.32 ฿76.4
14.66%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.37 ¥682
$2.08 ฿68.4
110.10%
Potato (1kg)
$2.32 ¥362
$1.47 ฿48.33
57.82%
Onion (1kg)
$2.48 ¥387
$1.36 ฿44.64
82.35%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.27 ¥199
$1.10 ฿36.12
15.45%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.76 ¥119
$0.57 ฿18.89
33.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.61 ¥565
$4.27 ฿140
-15.46%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.16 ¥1,274
$18.42 ฿605
-55.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.93 ¥302
$1.87 ฿61.5
3.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37 ¥369
$2.92 ฿96.0
-18.84%
🚌 Getting Around
Obihiro
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.43 ¥224
$2.22 ฿72.9
-35.59%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$55.3 ¥8,632
$22.90 ฿753
141.27%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.16 ¥493
$3.03 ฿99.6
4.29%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.78 ¥434
$1.07 ฿35.31
159.81%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$20.49 ¥3,201
$3.93 ฿129
421.37%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.23 ¥192
$1.49 ฿49.04
-17.45%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.3K ¥3.6M
$27.1K ฿891.7K
-14.24%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$17.0K ¥2.7M
$27.5K ฿902.3K
-37.90%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Obihiro
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$129 ¥20.1K
$103 ฿3,379
25.47%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.08 ¥3,762
$10.99 ฿361
119.11%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.48 ¥4,762
$17.51 ฿576
74.07%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Obihiro
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.11 ¥7,360
$53.5 ฿1,760
-11.99%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$11.20 ฿368
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.57 ¥2,120
$7.48 ฿246
81.42%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Obihiro
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$501 ¥78.3K
$557 ฿18.3K
-9.99%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.3K ¥1.9M
$11.9K ฿389.6K
3.35%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Obihiro
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$48.45 ¥7,569
$64.1 ฿2,106
-24.38%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.62 ¥5,252
$29.07 ฿956
15.65%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$61.3 ¥9,570
$96.0 ฿3,154
-36.16%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3 ¥13.0K
$90.3 ฿2,970
-7.81%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Obihiro
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$462 ¥72.2K
$730 ฿24.0K
-36.69%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$321 ¥50.2K
$500 ฿16.4K
-35.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,113 ¥173.8K
$2,090 ฿68.7K
-46.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$677 ¥105.7K
$1,209 ฿39.7K
-44.05%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,540 ¥709.2K
$3,596 ฿118.2K
26.24%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,950 ¥304.6K
$2,512 ฿82.6K
-22.40%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Obihiro
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$503 ฿16.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.06
5.57
-63.02%

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

Last update for Obihiro: August 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $462 in Obihiro 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Obihiro versus $33.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $300 in Obihiro 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
Obihiro vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Obihiro and in Phuket compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,216 in Obihiro, $1,253 in Phuket – roughly 3% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Obihiro compared to Phuket?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,824 per month in Obihiro and $1,880 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Obihiro and Phuket?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Obihiro, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Interestingly, groceries are about 10% cheaper in Phuket – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Obihiro and $33.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Obihiro, where all-in costs run around $1,216, than in Phuket at $1,253. In Obihiro it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Obihiro and Phuket?
It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,216 in Obihiro to $1,253 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Obihiro or Phuket safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Obihiro and Phuket?
If budget matters most, go with Obihiro. 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.

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