Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Chang-hua Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Chang-hua

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $904 in Chang-hua, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $1,361 in Chang-hua, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $1,819 in Chang-hua, rent included.

Phuket costs about 40% more than Chang-hua, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Chang-hua are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Chang-hua 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$3.76 NT$118

25.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$27.15 NT$855

67.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$5.64 NT$178

49.47%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$1.84 NT$57.8

59.24%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.88 NT$27.63

-21.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.46 NT$14.54

-19.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.45 NT$45.62

66.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$1.98 NT$62.3

87.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$2.76 NT$86.9

-19.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.91 NT$60.1

-4.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$3.17 NT$99.9

-31.55%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$2.91 NT$91.7

-24.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$17.14 NT$540

15.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$7.81 NT$246

-53.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$20.15 NT$634

-32.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$5.22 NT$164

-37.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$2.89 NT$91.1

-44.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$2.75 NT$86.7

-12.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$3.23 NT$102

-35.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$2.75 NT$86.5

-44.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$2.19 NT$69.0

-32.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$1.87 NT$59.0

-47.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.81 NT$25.47

-37.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$3.95 NT$124

11.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$9.61 NT$302

101.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.56 NT$49.26

14.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$2.41 NT$75.8

12.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$1.72 NT$54.0

-20.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$37.34 NT$1,175

-69.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$2.95 NT$93.0

2.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$0.78 NT$24.68

26.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$10.29 NT$324

37.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.02 NT$32.18

33.33%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$38.6K NT$1.2M

-26.88%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$27.5K NT$864.1K

19.86%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$34.13 NT$1,074

256.58%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$18.70 NT$589

-27.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$20.26 NT$638

-9.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$26.09 NT$821

130.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$15.35 NT$483

11.66%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$10.07 NT$317

-13.70%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$643 NT$20.2K

7.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$8,353 NT$262.9K

87.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$53.8 NT$1,692

10.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$16.87 NT$531

106.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$84.1 NT$2,647

36.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$53.8 NT$1,692

54.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$312 NT$9,829

96.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$190 NT$5,974

130.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$546 NT$17.2K

283.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$189 NT$5,953

698.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$3,014 NT$94.9K

24.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$1,682 NT$52.9K

55.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$2,015 NT$63.4K

-74.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

2.19

143.38%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chang-hua: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $312 in Chang-hua. 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 297% higher in Chang-hua, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket versus $27.00 in Chang-hua. Groceries tell a different story – $293 in Phuket vs $354 in Chang-hua – 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 Chang-hua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 40% more than Chang-hua, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $1,355 in Chang-hua. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,265 in Phuket and $904 in Chang-hua. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 228% less in Chang-hua. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chang-hua, where all-in costs run around $904, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Chang-hua it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chang-hua costs $904 versus $1,265 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Chang-hua. 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.