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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,249 per month in Obihiro vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,966 per month in Obihiro vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,682 per month in Obihiro vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

Obihiro and Phuket have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Obihiro and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Obihiro 7% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.86 ¥1,276

$4.55 ฿153

72.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.61 ¥5,624

$46.18 ฿1,553

-25.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.81 ¥945

$8.84 ฿297

-34.28%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ¥497

$3.06 ฿103

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

$1.05 ¥171

$0.73 ฿24.40

43.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ¥121

$0.40 ฿13.39

85.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 ¥417

$2.43 ฿81.8

5.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ¥519

$3.78 ฿127

-15.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ¥254

$2.26 ฿76.0

-30.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 ¥240

$1.81 ฿60.9

-18.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.77 ¥613

$2.25 ฿75.8

67.56%

Eggs

$2.29 ¥372

$2.25 ฿75.5

1.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.01 ¥1,951

$19.51 ฿656

-38.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.50 ¥1,056

$3.65 ฿123

78.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.35 ¥2,495

$13.05 ฿439

17.62%

Apples (1kg)

$5.44 ¥884

$3.23 ฿109

68.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.56 ¥416

$1.62 ฿54.4

58.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.92 ¥637

$2.38 ฿80.1

64.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.02 ¥978

$2.03 ฿68.1

196.55%

Potato (1kg)

$3.11 ¥506

$1.53 ฿51.6

103.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.58 ¥419

$1.50 ฿50.5

72.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 ¥248

$0.98 ฿32.91

55.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥144

$0.52 ฿17.39

69.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 ¥674

$4.44 ฿149

-6.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.44 ¥1,209

$18.32 ฿616

-59.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ¥300

$1.86 ฿62.7

-0.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 ¥361

$2.68 ฿90.1

-17.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 ¥262

$1.41 ฿47.46

14.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.8 ¥8,895

$11.70 ฿393

367.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 ¥580

$3.11 ฿105

14.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.01 ¥488

$1.04 ฿35.06

189.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.49 ¥3,330

$14.11 ฿474

45.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ¥201

$1.31 ฿44.10

-5.34%

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

$23.2K ¥3.8M

$27.8K ฿935.4K

-16.71%

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

$17.4K ¥2.8M

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-47.55%

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

$169 ¥27.5K

$122 ฿4,118

38.35%

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

$27.51 ¥4,470

$13.59 ฿457

102.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.64 ¥7,091

$18.70 ฿629

133.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.1 ¥8,944

$60.5 ฿2,034

-8.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.73 ¥2,230

$16.98 ฿571

-19.14%

Cinema Ticket

$12.27 ¥1,994

$9.07 ฿305

35.28%

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

$283 ¥45.9K

$706 ฿23.8K

-60.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K ¥2.2M

$15.8K ฿531.5K

-14.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.40 ¥4,452

$58.6 ฿1,969

-53.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.56 ¥4,803

$35.36 ฿1,189

-16.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.9 ¥9,734

$115 ฿3,883

-48.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 ¥15.1K

$83.7 ฿2,816

10.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$443 ¥71.9K

$626 ฿21.0K

-29.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ¥50.2K

$445 ฿15.0K

-30.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$877 ¥142.4K

$2,040 ฿68.6K

-57.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$649 ¥105.4K

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-56.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,848 ¥787.7K

$3,483 ฿117.1K

39.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,841 ¥299.1K

$2,577 ฿86.7K

-28.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

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 Obihiro: July 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $443 in Obihiro 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Obihiro versus $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $317 in Obihiro 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

Obihiro vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,873 per month in Obihiro and $1,875 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

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.

Kindergarten costs $283 per month in Obihiro and $706 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Obihiro, where all-in costs run around $1,249, than in Phuket at $1,250. In Obihiro it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,249 in Obihiro to $1,250 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 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.