Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Hachioji Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Hachioji

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,486 in Hachioji.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $2,177 in Hachioji.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $2,868 in Hachioji.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 17% less than in Hachioji, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 10% below, Hachioji is 9% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Hachioji
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.41 ฿147
$5.40 ¥846
-18.33%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.26 ฿1,074
$31.79 ¥4,987
1.48%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.93 ฿297
$4.80 ¥752
86.04%
Cappuccino
$2.90 ฿96.4
$3.25 ¥509
-10.77%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88 ฿29.30
$0.86 ¥135
2.33%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48 ฿16.01
$0.66 ¥103
-27.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.35 ฿78.3
$2.62 ¥410
-10.31%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72 ฿124
$3.33 ¥523
11.71%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Hachioji
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.87 ฿62.1
$1.30 ¥204
43.85%
White Bread (500g)
$1.47 ฿48.81
$1.49 ¥234
-1.34%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.55 ฿51.7
$4.46 ¥700
-65.25%
Eggs
$2.10 ฿70.0
$2.18 ¥342
-3.67%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.59 ฿652
$11.13 ¥1,745
76.01%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.42 ฿114
$6.64 ¥1,041
-48.49%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.38 ฿379
$17.93 ¥2,812
-36.53%
Apples (1kg)
$2.98 ฿99.3
$5.12 ¥804
-41.80%
Banana (1kg)
$1.68 ฿56.1
$2.37 ¥372
-29.11%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.21 ฿73.5
$3.17 ¥497
-30.28%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.16 ฿72.0
$4.31 ¥676
-49.88%
Potato (1kg)
$1.52 ฿50.8
$2.60 ¥407
-41.54%
Onion (1kg)
$1.34 ฿44.55
$2.46 ¥386
-45.53%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 ฿37.57
$1.29 ¥202
-12.40%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 ฿18.19
$0.84 ¥132
-34.52%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26 ฿142
$4.00 ¥627
6.50%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.09 ฿635
$7.61 ¥1,193
150.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 ฿59.2
$2.65 ¥416
-32.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78 ฿92.6
$2.12 ¥332
31.13%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Hachioji
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.23 ฿74.2
$0.91 ¥143
145.05%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.74 ฿757
$58.7 ¥9,206
-61.25%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.03 ฿101
$3.26 ¥511
-7.06%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 ฿34.06
$3.82 ¥599
-73.30%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.89 ฿130
$19.86 ¥3,115
-80.41%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.49 ฿49.63
$1.06 ¥166
40.57%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.6K ฿884.9K
$21.7K ¥3.4M
22.24%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0K ฿899.8K
$15.5K ¥2.4M
74.17%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Hachioji
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$102 ฿3,411
$135 ¥21.2K
-24.14%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.33 ฿377
$21.48 ¥3,369
-47.25%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.40 ฿579
$36.66 ¥5,751
-52.54%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Hachioji
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.1 ฿1,734
$52.0 ¥8,162
0.08%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.07 ฿369
$25.86 ¥4,056
-57.19%
Cinema Ticket
$7.69 ฿256
$13.58 ¥2,129
-43.37%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Hachioji
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$561 ฿18.7K
$517 ¥81.1K
8.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.5K ฿383.0K
$11.7K ¥1.8M
-1.39%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Hachioji
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.0 ฿2,098
$50.4 ¥7,904
25.08%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.52 ฿983
$32.99 ¥5,175
-10.52%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.0 ฿3,263
$61.2 ¥9,592
60.31%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.5 ฿2,946
$93.1 ¥14.6K
-4.98%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Hachioji
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$738 ฿24.6K
$961 ¥150.7K
-23.15%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$482 ฿16.1K
$576 ¥90.3K
-16.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,107 ฿70.1K
$1,648 ¥258.5K
27.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,226 ฿40.8K
$958 ¥150.2K
27.97%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,617 ฿120.4K
$3,818 ¥598.9K
-5.27%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,603 ฿86.7K
$1,813 ¥284.4K
43.55%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Hachioji
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$494 ฿16.4K
$2,796 ¥438.5K
-82.34%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
2.09
166.51%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Hachioji: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $961 in Hachioji. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hachioji pays 466% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $32.00 in Hachioji for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $310 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

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 Hachioji: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Hachioji?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 21% lower than in Hachioji. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Phuket or in Hachioji?
On paper, salaries run 466% lower in Hachioji. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Phuket compared to Hachioji?
Rent for a central apartment: $738 in Phuket versus $961 in Hachioji. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Phuket or in Hachioji?
Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Hachioji. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How do dining costs compare in Phuket and in Hachioji?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $32.00 in Hachioji. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Phuket or in Hachioji?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,486 in Hachioji, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Hachioji. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Phuket or Hachioji?
Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,232 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.
How safe is Phuket compared to Hachioji?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Hachioji are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Hachioji. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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