Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Fukuoka Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Fukuoka

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $1,221 in Fukuoka, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,089 per month in Phuket vs $1,934 in Fukuoka, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Phuket vs $2,647 in Fukuoka, rent included.

Phuket costs about 4% more than Fukuoka, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Phuket and Fukuoka are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Fukuoka 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$7.34 ¥1,126

-36.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$43.73 ¥6,715

-26.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$5.84 ¥897

48.63%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$3.44 ¥528

-15.70%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$1.07 ¥165

-21.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.69 ¥107

-28.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$3.91 ¥600

-36.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$2.24 ¥343

66.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$1.66 ¥254

13.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$1.95 ¥300

-27.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$6.52 ¥1,002

-75.15%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$2.26 ¥347

-0.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$18.52 ¥2,844

7.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$5.48 ¥842

-36.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$19.17 ¥2,943

-40.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$3.75 ¥576

-22.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$1.91 ¥294

-9.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$2.91 ¥446

-21.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$3.35 ¥515

-36.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$2.29 ¥351

-35.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$2.57 ¥394

-44.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$1.09 ¥167

0.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$0.98 ¥151

-38.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$3.95 ¥606

9.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$6.57 ¥1,010

183.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$1.68 ¥258

7.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$1.86 ¥286

59.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

$1.65 ¥253

36.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

$42.79 ¥6,571

-45.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$3.96 ¥608

-21.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$2.13 ¥327

-49.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$18.49 ¥2,839

-79.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$1.08 ¥166

32.41%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$22.0K ¥3.4M

26.22%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$18.1K ¥2.8M

49.10%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$189 ¥29.0K

-44.58%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$25.84 ¥3,967

-55.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$33.81 ¥5,192

-48.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

$51.6 ¥7,920

5.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$11.15 ¥1,712

-30.22%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$129 ¥19.9K

345.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$12.8K ¥2.0M

-9.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$35.12 ¥5,393

81.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$24.57 ¥3,773

18.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$57.9 ¥8,884

66.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$48.42 ¥7,435

85.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$479 ¥73.5K

53.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$266 ¥40.9K

87.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

$1,151 ¥176.8K

84.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$695 ¥106.8K

80.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

$5,769 ¥885.8K

-38.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

$2,546 ¥391.0K

2.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

$2,787 ¥428.0K

-81.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

1.54

261.69%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Fukuoka: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $733 in Phuket versus $479 in Fukuoka. 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 449% higher in Fukuoka, 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $44.00 in Fukuoka. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $275 vs $324 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Fukuoka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,265 in Phuket, $1,221 in Fukuoka – roughly 4% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $1,832 in Fukuoka. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $576 per month in Phuket and $129 in Fukuoka. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 18% cheaper in Phuket – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Fukuoka, where all-in costs run around $1,221, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Fukuoka it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Fukuoka has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,221 in Fukuoka 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 Fukuoka. 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.