Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Asahikawa Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Asahikawa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $1,260 in Asahikawa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $1,930 in Asahikawa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $2,600 in Asahikawa, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$7.03 ¥1,128

-33.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,488

$34.30 ¥5,498

32.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$5.26 ¥843

60.27%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿96.0

$3.05 ¥489

-3.93%

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

$0.69 ฿22.48

$1.10 ¥176

-37.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.04

$0.75 ¥120

-50.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$2.67 ¥428

-9.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$3.21 ¥515

15.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.2

$1.57 ¥252

42.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿60.1

$1.60 ¥256

14.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿71.1

$4.76 ¥763

-54.41%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.6

$2.19 ¥351

0.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿647

$10.01 ¥1,605

97.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$6.46 ¥1,036

-43.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿444

$15.45 ¥2,476

-12.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$5.38 ¥862

-39.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.8

$2.52 ¥403

-36.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$3.92 ¥628

-38.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.3

$5.85 ¥938

-64.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.1

$3.00 ¥481

-49.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.56

$2.57 ¥411

-42.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.42

$1.34 ¥214

-26.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.73

$0.85 ¥135

-40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$4.15 ¥665

6.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿636

$8.30 ¥1,330

133.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.3

$1.93 ¥309

-7.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.9

$2.15 ¥344

26.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.96

$1.60 ¥256

-14.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿374

$55.4 ¥8,873

-79.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿99.0

$3.45 ¥552

-12.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.61

$2.88 ¥462

-65.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿462

$20.60 ¥3,301

-31.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.68

$1.24 ¥199

9.68%

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

$28.2K ฿924.7K

$22.8K ¥3.7M

23.61%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$17.5K ¥2.8M

87.99%

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

$122 ฿3,991

$144 ¥23.1K

-15.66%

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

$13.57 ฿445

$26.66 ¥4,274

-49.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿600

$33.80 ¥5,418

-45.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,975

$54.9 ¥8,806

9.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿562

$13.62 ¥2,183

25.84%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿285

$12.65 ¥2,028

-31.30%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$278 ¥44.6K

149.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿514.4K

$13.5K ¥2.2M

16.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,952

$43.37 ¥6,952

37.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,140

$29.90 ¥4,792

16.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,758

$60.3 ¥9,669

89.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,731

$91.8 ¥14.7K

-9.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.1K

$463 ¥74.2K

32.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$335 ¥53.7K

30.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.7K

$870 ¥139.4K

140.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.5K

$670 ¥107.4K

125.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.9K

$4,829 ¥774.1K

-22.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.8K

$2,679 ¥429.4K

-2.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.7K

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 Asahikawa: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $463 in Asahikawa. 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 $45.00 in Phuket versus $34.00 in Asahikawa. Groceries tell a different story – $293 in Phuket vs $315 in Asahikawa – 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 Asahikawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $1,890 in Asahikawa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Asahikawa, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Phuket – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

Kindergarten costs $693 per month in Phuket and $278 in Asahikawa. 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 Asahikawa, where all-in costs run around $1,260, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Asahikawa 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 $1,260 in Asahikawa to $1,265 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 Asahikawa. 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.