Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and China

For one person, living is cheaper in China: $784 a month against $1,190 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,190
/mo nomad
🇨🇳 China
$784
/mo nomad
😐 Solo nomad: Phuket is 32.9% more expensive than China without rent, and 51.8% more expensive with rent.
😐 Family of 3: Phuket is 30.5% more expensive than China without rent, and 61% more expensive with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
China
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.35 ฿146
$2.90 ¥19.39
50.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.45 ฿1,087
$22.02 ¥147
47.37%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.42 ฿282
$5.20 ¥34.74
61.92%
Cappuccino
$2.81 ฿94.0
$3.04 ¥20.31
-7.57%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 ฿29.29
$0.52 ¥3.45
67.31%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.46 ฿15.39
$0.28 ¥1.85
64.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.59 ฿86.6
$1.01 ¥6.75
156.44%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.64 ฿122
$2.19 ¥14.64
66.21%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
China
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.71 ฿57.2
$1.75 ¥11.71
-2.29%
White Bread (500g)
$1.45 ฿48.42
$1.64 ¥10.96
-11.59%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.56 ฿52.3
$0.92 ¥6.12
69.57%
Eggs
$2.10 ฿70.3
$1.59 ¥10.66
32.08%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.53 ฿654
$12.99 ¥86.8
50.35%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.40 ฿114
$3.35 ¥22.38
1.49%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.14 ฿373
$11.18 ¥74.7
-0.36%
Apples (1kg)
$2.83 ฿94.8
$1.80 ¥12.02
57.22%
Banana (1kg)
$1.62 ฿54.3
$1.31 ¥8.78
23.66%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.22 ฿74.5
$1.47 ¥9.80
51.02%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.15 ฿71.9
$1.32 ¥8.79
62.88%
Potato (1kg)
$1.49 ฿49.95
$0.76 ¥5.07
96.05%
Onion (1kg)
$1.33 ฿44.40
$0.92 ¥6.15
44.57%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.72
$0.59 ¥3.94
81.36%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 ฿17.01
$0.54 ¥3.63
-5.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.38 ฿147
$3.79 ¥25.34
15.57%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.77 ฿629
$12.14 ¥81.1
54.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.74 ฿58.3
$0.82 ¥5.48
112.20%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78 ฿92.9
$1.63 ¥10.92
70.55%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
China
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.17 ฿72.6
$0.29 ¥1.93
648.28%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.28 ฿746
$22.33 ¥149
-0.22%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿101
$1.53 ¥10.24
97.39%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.06 ฿35.43
$0.35 ¥2.31
202.86%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.71 ฿124
$7.00 ¥46.79
-47.00%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.43 ฿47.88
$1.31 ¥8.77
9.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.3K ฿882.1K
$19.0K ¥127.1K
38.51%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.2K ฿877.3K
$17.0K ¥113.7K
53.99%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
China
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.7 ฿3,236
$54.1 ¥362
78.57%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.41 ฿382
$8.42 ¥56.3
35.51%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.11 ฿573
$10.72 ¥71.6
59.61%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
China
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.8 ฿1,768
$40.72 ¥272
29.67%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.07 ฿371
$14.58 ¥97.4
-24.07%
Cinema Ticket
$7.65 ฿256
$6.76 ¥45.15
13.17%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
China
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$555 ฿18.6K
$462 ¥3,089
20.00%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.3K ฿377.7K
$19.6K ¥131.0K
-42.43%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
China
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.4 ฿2,123
$45.57 ¥305
39.17%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.61 ฿958
$36.05 ¥241
-20.64%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.7 ฿3,238
$75.4 ¥504
28.25%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.6 ฿2,967
$79.0 ¥528
12.15%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
China
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$735 ฿24.6K
$386 ¥2,577
90.54%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$458 ฿15.3K
$240 ¥1,601
91.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,102 ฿70.4K
$843 ¥5,637
149.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,187 ฿39.7K
$461 ¥3,083
157.26%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,493 ฿116.9K
$4,590 ¥30.7K
-23.90%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,491 ฿83.4K
$2,279 ¥15.2K
9.30%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
China
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$501 ฿16.8K
$1,060 ¥7,082
-52.73%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
3.46
60.98%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 4, 2026

Last update for China: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$458
China
$240 47.7% $218
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$268
China
$207 22.7% $61
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$125
China
$73 41.5% $52
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$125
China
$106 14.9% $19
Eating Out
Phuket
$119
China
$88 26.3% $31
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$68
China
$54 20.4% $14
Getting Around
Phuket
$39
China
$27 31.8% $13
Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇨🇳 China
🕒 Local time
11:55 11:55 AM
12:55 12:55 PM
1 h ahead of Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
1,442,965,000
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

CNY, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 33.48 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.55 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 6.68 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.5 CNY (1 CNY = 0.133 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket China 3,990 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • China

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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