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: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,339 in Hachioji.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $2,015 in Hachioji.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $2,690 in Hachioji.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 6% less than in Hachioji, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Hachioji is 0% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Hachioji
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70 ฿154
$6.88 ¥1,101
-31.69%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37 ฿1,483
$34.91 ¥5,583
29.96%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.43 ฿276
$5.42 ¥867
55.54%
Cappuccino
$2.93 ฿95.7
$3.16 ¥505
-7.28%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69 ฿22.42
$1.10 ¥176
-37.27%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 ฿12.00
$0.80 ¥128
-53.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.41 ฿78.7
$2.55 ¥408
-5.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72 ฿122
$3.15 ¥505
18.10%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Hachioji
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.23 ฿73.0
$1.52 ¥244
46.71%
White Bread (500g)
$1.83 ฿59.9
$1.58 ¥253
15.82%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.17 ฿70.9
$4.73 ¥756
-54.12%
Eggs
$2.21 ฿72.4
$2.24 ¥358
-1.34%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.74 ฿645
$10.06 ¥1,608
96.22%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.63 ฿119
$6.20 ¥991
-41.45%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.53 ฿442
$15.53 ¥2,484
-12.88%
Apples (1kg)
$3.28 ฿107
$5.48 ¥876
-40.15%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 ฿52.7
$2.60 ¥417
-38.08%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.41 ฿78.7
$3.91 ¥626
-38.36%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿68.1
$5.85 ¥936
-64.44%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 ฿49.97
$3.13 ¥500
-51.12%
Onion (1kg)
$1.48 ฿48.41
$2.63 ¥421
-43.73%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.99 ฿32.32
$1.40 ¥224
-29.29%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 ฿16.68
$0.83 ¥133
-38.55%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41 ฿144
$4.23 ¥677
4.26%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.38 ฿634
$8.71 ¥1,393
122.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 ฿58.1
$1.90 ¥304
-6.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71 ฿88.7
$2.23 ¥356
21.52%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Hachioji
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.37 ฿44.83
$1.67 ¥267
-17.96%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.39 ฿372
$55.7 ¥8,902
-79.53%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿98.7
$3.39 ¥543
-10.91%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.99 ฿32.51
$2.91 ¥466
-65.98%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.10 ฿461
$21.11 ¥3,377
-33.21%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.36 ฿44.55
$1.19 ¥190
14.29%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K ฿921.9K
$23.3K ¥3.7M
21.20%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K ฿1.1M
$17.3K ¥2.8M
89.79%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Hachioji
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$122 ฿3,978
$143 ¥22.9K
-15.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57 ฿444
$27.00 ¥4,319
-49.74%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31 ฿599
$33.48 ¥5,355
-45.31%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Hachioji
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.2 ฿1,969
$55.6 ¥8,897
8.27%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14 ฿560
$14.00 ¥2,240
22.43%
Cinema Ticket
$8.69 ฿284
$12.38 ¥1,980
-29.81%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Hachioji
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$693 ฿22.7K
$277 ¥44.3K
150.28%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.7K ฿512.8K
$13.4K ¥2.2M
16.70%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Hachioji
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5 ฿1,946
$43.72 ¥6,994
36.16%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77 ฿1,137
$29.49 ¥4,716
17.90%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 ฿3,746
$58.9 ¥9,417
94.63%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3 ฿2,723
$91.2 ¥14.6K
-8.67%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Hachioji
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$613 ฿20.0K
$668 ¥106.8K
-8.16%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$437 ฿14.3K
$436 ¥69.7K
0.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,094 ฿68.5K
$851 ¥136.0K
146.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,509 ฿49.3K
$657 ¥105.1K
129.69%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,749 ฿122.6K
$4,585 ¥733.4K
-18.23%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,616 ฿85.5K
$2,421 ¥387.2K
8.06%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Hachioji
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$508 ฿16.6K
$2,741 ¥438.4K
-81.46%
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 Hachioji: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $668 in Hachioji. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hachioji pays 439% 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: $45.00 in Phuket vs $35.00 in Hachioji. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $316, with Phuket cheaper for home cooking.

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 6% 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 Hachioji?
On paper, Hachioji earns 439% less. 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 vs Hachioji?
Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $668 in Hachioji. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Phuket or Hachioji?
Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Hachioji. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How do dining costs compare in Phuket vs Hachioji?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $35.00 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 Hachioji?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,339 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 $1,265 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 6% less than in Hachioji. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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