Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ichinomiya Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ichinomiya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $1,266 in Ichinomiya, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $1,931 in Ichinomiya, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $2,595 in Ichinomiya, rent included.

Phuket and Ichinomiya have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Phuket and Ichinomiya are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Ichinomiya 5% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Ichinomiya
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70 ฿154
$6.85 ¥1,096
-31.39%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37 ฿1,483
$35.02 ¥5,602
29.55%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.43 ฿276
$5.22 ¥835
61.49%
Cappuccino
$2.93 ฿95.7
$3.18 ¥509
-7.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69 ฿22.42
$1.09 ¥175
-36.70%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 ฿12.00
$0.82 ¥131
-54.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.41 ฿78.7
$2.57 ¥411
-6.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72 ฿122
$3.19 ¥511
16.61%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Ichinomiya
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.23 ฿73.0
$1.59 ¥254
40.25%
White Bread (500g)
$1.83 ฿59.9
$1.54 ¥247
18.83%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.17 ฿70.9
$4.86 ¥778
-55.35%
Eggs
$2.21 ฿72.4
$2.29 ¥366
-3.49%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.74 ฿645
$10.07 ¥1,610
96.03%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.63 ฿119
$6.50 ¥1,040
-44.15%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.53 ฿442
$15.22 ¥2,434
-11.10%
Apples (1kg)
$3.28 ฿107
$5.50 ¥880
-40.36%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 ฿52.7
$2.54 ¥407
-36.61%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.41 ฿78.7
$3.94 ¥630
-38.83%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿68.1
$5.76 ¥921
-63.89%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 ฿49.97
$3.08 ¥492
-50.32%
Onion (1kg)
$1.48 ฿48.41
$2.61 ¥417
-43.30%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.99 ฿32.32
$1.39 ¥223
-28.78%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 ฿16.68
$0.83 ¥133
-38.55%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41 ฿144
$4.27 ¥683
3.28%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.38 ฿634
$8.30 ¥1,328
133.49%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 ฿58.1
$1.84 ¥294
-3.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71 ฿88.7
$2.18 ¥349
24.31%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Ichinomiya
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.37 ฿44.83
$1.59 ¥255
-13.84%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.39 ฿372
$56.6 ¥9,046
-79.86%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿98.7
$3.55 ¥568
-14.93%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.99 ฿32.51
$2.98 ¥476
-66.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.10 ฿461
$20.63 ¥3,300
-31.65%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.36 ฿44.55
$1.23 ¥196
10.57%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K ฿921.9K
$23.2K ¥3.7M
21.79%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K ฿1.1M
$17.1K ¥2.7M
92.26%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Ichinomiya
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$122 ฿3,978
$142 ¥22.8K
-14.47%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57 ฿444
$27.32 ¥4,370
-50.33%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31 ฿599
$34.60 ¥5,534
-47.08%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Ichinomiya
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.2 ฿1,969
$55.3 ¥8,844
8.92%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14 ฿560
$13.89 ¥2,221
23.40%
Cinema Ticket
$8.69 ฿284
$12.28 ¥1,964
-29.23%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Ichinomiya
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$693 ฿22.7K
$287 ¥45.9K
141.41%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.7K ฿512.8K
$13.2K ¥2.1M
18.56%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Ichinomiya
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5 ฿1,946
$43.93 ¥7,026
35.51%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77 ฿1,137
$29.48 ¥4,716
17.94%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 ฿3,746
$60.0 ¥9,594
91.06%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3 ฿2,723
$90.5 ¥14.5K
-7.95%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Ichinomiya
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$613 ฿20.0K
$471 ¥75.3K
30.19%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$437 ฿14.3K
$327 ¥52.2K
33.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,094 ฿68.5K
$865 ¥138.3K
142.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,509 ฿49.3K
$663 ¥106.1K
127.51%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,749 ฿122.6K
$5,170 ¥826.9K
-27.47%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,616 ฿85.5K
$2,075 ¥331.8K
26.09%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Ichinomiya
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$508 ฿16.6K
-
-
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 Ichinomiya: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $471 in Ichinomiya. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket versus $35.00 in Ichinomiya. Groceries tell a different story – $293 in Phuket vs $316 in Ichinomiya – 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 Ichinomiya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $1,900 in Ichinomiya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and Ichinomiya?
Groceries cost about 8% more in Ichinomiya, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $693 per month in Phuket and $287 in Ichinomiya. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Ichinomiya?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Ichinomiya at $1,266. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ichinomiya it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Phuket or Ichinomiya more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Ichinomiya?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ichinomiya makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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