Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Akita Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Akita

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $1,273 in Akita, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $1,954 in Akita, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $2,635 in Akita, rent included.

Phuket is about 1% cheaper than Akita, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Phuket and Akita are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Akita 5% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Akita
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70 ฿154
$6.94 ¥1,113
-32.28%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37 ฿1,488
$35.26 ¥5,652
28.67%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.43 ฿276
$5.45 ¥873
54.68%
Cappuccino
$2.93 ฿96.0
$3.80 ¥608
-22.89%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69 ฿22.48
$1.05 ¥168
-34.29%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 ฿12.04
$0.93 ¥148
-60.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.41 ฿79.0
$2.10 ¥337
14.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72 ฿122
$3.18 ¥510
16.98%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Akita
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.23 ฿73.2
$1.60 ¥256
39.37%
White Bread (500g)
$1.83 ฿60.1
$1.57 ¥252
16.56%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.17 ฿71.1
$4.88 ¥782
-55.53%
Eggs
$2.21 ฿72.6
$2.28 ¥366
-3.07%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.74 ฿647
$9.94 ¥1,593
98.59%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.63 ฿119
$6.42 ¥1,030
-43.46%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.53 ฿444
$15.43 ¥2,473
-12.31%
Apples (1kg)
$3.28 ฿107
$5.32 ¥853
-38.35%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 ฿52.8
$2.55 ¥409
-36.86%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.41 ฿79.0
$4.04 ¥647
-40.35%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿68.3
$5.85 ¥938
-64.44%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 ฿50.1
$3.12 ¥500
-50.96%
Onion (1kg)
$1.48 ฿48.56
$2.67 ¥429
-44.57%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.99 ฿32.42
$1.33 ¥213
-25.56%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 ฿16.73
$0.90 ¥144
-43.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41 ฿144
$4.22 ¥676
4.50%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.38 ฿636
$8.32 ¥1,333
132.93%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 ฿58.3
$1.91 ¥307
-6.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71 ฿88.9
$2.23 ¥358
21.52%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Akita
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.37 ฿44.96
$1.67 ¥267
-17.96%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.39 ฿374
$55.6 ¥8,907
-79.50%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿99.0
$3.53 ¥566
-14.45%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.99 ฿32.61
$2.86 ¥459
-65.38%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.10 ฿462
$20.48 ¥3,282
-31.15%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.36 ฿44.68
$1.45 ¥233
-6.21%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K ฿924.7K
$23.1K ¥3.7M
21.92%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K ฿1.1M
$17.6K ¥2.8M
87.07%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Akita
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$122 ฿3,991
$144 ¥23.0K
-15.19%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57 ฿445
$27.16 ¥4,353
-50.04%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31 ฿600
$34.38 ¥5,510
-46.74%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Akita
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.2 ฿1,975
$55.5 ¥8,894
8.52%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14 ฿562
$13.96 ¥2,238
22.78%
Cinema Ticket
$8.69 ฿285
$12.38 ¥1,985
-29.81%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Akita
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$693 ฿22.7K
$285 ¥45.6K
143.51%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.7K ฿514.4K
$13.2K ¥2.1M
18.89%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Akita
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5 ฿1,952
$45.60 ¥7,310
30.55%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77 ฿1,140
$29.11 ¥4,666
19.44%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 ฿3,758
$59.3 ¥9,504
93.29%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3 ฿2,731
$91.2 ¥14.6K
-8.67%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Akita
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$613 ฿20.1K
$468 ¥75.0K
31.05%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$437 ฿14.3K
$333 ¥53.4K
31.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,094 ฿68.7K
$865 ¥138.7K
142.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,509 ฿49.5K
$669 ¥107.2K
125.61%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,749 ฿122.9K
$4,561 ¥731.0K
-17.79%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,616 ฿85.8K
$2,373 ¥380.3K
10.25%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Akita
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$508 ฿16.7K
$1,595 ¥255.6K
-68.14%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.33
1.78
199.44%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Akita: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $468 in Akita. 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 214% higher in Akita, 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 $45.00 in Phuket versus $35.00 in Akita. Groceries tell a different story – $293 in Phuket vs $317 in Akita – 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
Phuket vs Akita: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Akita?
Akita costs about 1% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Phuket vs Akita?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $1,909 in Akita. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Phuket or Akita?
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.
How expensive is transport in Phuket vs Akita?
Public transport costs about 388% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
How do childcare costs compare in Phuket and Akita?
Kindergarten costs $693 per month in Phuket and $285 in Akita. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Phuket or Akita?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Akita at $1,273. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Akita it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Phuket or Akita?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,265 versus $1,273 in Akita. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Phuket compared to Akita?
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.
Should I move to Phuket or Akita?
If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Akita makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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