Cost of Living Comparison Between Okayama and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Okayama and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,041 in Okayama versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,684 in Okayama versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,327 in Okayama versus $3,248 in Phuket.

Living in Okayama costs roughly 18% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Okayama 22% lower, Phuket 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.73 ¥1,060

$4.48 ฿150

50.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.94 ¥4,403

$45.59 ฿1,521

-38.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.24 ¥983

$8.76 ฿292

-28.77%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ¥308

$2.97 ฿99.0

-34.34%

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

$0.73 ¥115

$0.69 ฿22.90

5.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 ¥113

$0.39 ฿13.04

84.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.06 ¥325

$2.53 ฿84.4

-18.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ¥319

$3.75 ฿125

-45.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 ¥235

$2.15 ฿71.6

-30.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.67 ¥105

$1.82 ฿60.6

-63.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.95 ¥781

$2.18 ฿72.9

127.06%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥266

$2.25 ฿75.0

-24.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.43 ¥2,589

$20.00 ฿667

-17.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.73 ¥1,061

$3.63 ฿121

85.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.40 ¥2,427

$13.56 ฿452

13.57%

Apples (1kg)

$5.59 ¥880

$3.24 ฿108

72.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.91 ¥458

$1.64 ฿54.6

77.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.92 ¥776

$2.33 ฿77.8

111.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.98 ¥785

$2.07 ฿69.1

140.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.47 ¥389

$1.55 ฿51.6

59.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 ¥324

$1.46 ฿48.54

41.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 ¥211

$0.98 ฿32.86

36.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥123

$0.48 ฿16.09

62.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.53 ¥556

$4.35 ฿145

-18.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.04 ¥1,425

$18.57 ฿620

-51.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 ¥320

$1.86 ฿61.9

9.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥336

$2.65 ฿88.6

-19.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 ¥254

$1.42 ฿47.28

13.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 ¥8,644

$11.57 ฿386

374.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 ¥545

$3.17 ฿106

9.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.65 ¥417

$1.03 ฿34.41

157.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.58 ¥3,716

$13.89 ฿463

69.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ¥173

$1.34 ฿44.84

-17.91%

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

$22.8K ¥3.6M

$27.8K ฿927.1K

-17.83%

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

$17.2K ¥2.7M

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-48.45%

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

$77.7 ¥12.2K

$123 ฿4,105

-36.84%

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

$15.00 ¥2,364

$13.77 ฿459

8.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.33 ¥4,306

$18.33 ฿611

49.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 ¥8,804

$60.7 ฿2,025

-7.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.93 ¥2,195

$17.16 ฿573

-18.82%

Cinema Ticket

$12.42 ¥1,957

$8.87 ฿296

40.02%

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

$476 ¥75.0K

$688 ฿22.9K

-30.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.2K ¥1.8M

$15.8K ฿526.4K

-29.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.84 ¥7,223

$59.3 ฿1,978

-22.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.41 ¥5,107

$34.69 ฿1,157

-6.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.4 ¥8,881

$115 ฿3,843

-51.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.5 ¥14.3K

$83.8 ฿2,794

8.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$359 ¥56.6K

$621 ฿20.7K

-42.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$208 ¥32.8K

$446 ฿14.9K

-53.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$697 ¥109.9K

$2,034 ฿67.8K

-65.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$466 ¥73.3K

$1,496 ฿49.9K

-68.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,323 ¥208.4K

$494 ฿16.5K

167.98%

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 Okayama: July 25, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $359 in Okayama and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Okayama pays 168% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $28.00 in Okayama vs $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $326 vs $291, with Phuket cheaper for home cooking.

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

Okayama vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Okayama and Phuket differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($1,041 vs $1,264 including rent). Okayama is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 168% higher in Okayama, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $359 in Okayama versus $621 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,041 per month in Okayama versus $1,264 in Phuket – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Okayama runs roughly 374% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,041 in Okayama versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Okayama but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Okayama the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Okayama and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Okayama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.