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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,253 per month in Phuket vs $1,175 in Ichinomiya, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,043 per month in Phuket vs $1,883 in Ichinomiya, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,833 per month in Phuket vs $2,591 in Ichinomiya, rent included.

Phuket costs about 7% more than Ichinomiya, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Phuket and Ichinomiya are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 9% lower, Ichinomiya 15% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Ichinomiya
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.56 ฿150
$6.87 ¥1,073
-33.62%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.62 ฿1,072
$33.42 ¥5,221
-2.39%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.90 ฿293
$5.58 ¥871
59.50%
Cappuccino
$2.80 ฿92.2
$2.83 ¥443
-1.06%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88 ฿28.93
$1.12 ¥174
-21.43%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.08
$0.81 ¥127
-39.51%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.39 ฿78.5
$2.87 ¥448
-16.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.71 ฿122
$2.78 ¥435
33.45%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Ichinomiya
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.79 ฿58.7
$1.32 ¥207
35.61%
White Bread (500g)
$1.44 ฿47.38
$1.69 ¥264
-14.79%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.58 ฿52.1
$3.86 ¥603
-59.07%
Eggs
$2.13 ฿69.9
$2.24 ¥350
-4.91%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.92 ฿655
$11.02 ¥1,722
80.76%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.43 ฿113
$6.28 ¥981
-45.38%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.33 ฿372
$14.81 ¥2,313
-23.50%
Apples (1kg)
$2.95 ฿96.9
$4.37 ¥682
-32.49%
Banana (1kg)
$1.72 ฿56.6
$2.14 ¥334
-19.63%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.32 ฿76.4
$3.19 ¥498
-27.27%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿68.4
$3.67 ¥573
-43.32%
Potato (1kg)
$1.47 ฿48.33
$2.41 ¥377
-39.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.36 ฿44.64
$2.60 ¥406
-47.69%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.10 ฿36.12
$1.21 ¥189
-9.09%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.57 ฿18.89
$0.87 ¥136
-34.48%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27 ฿140
$4.37 ¥683
-2.29%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.42 ฿605
$7.49 ¥1,170
145.93%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.87 ฿61.5
$1.77 ¥276
5.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.92 ฿96.0
$2.30 ¥360
26.96%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Ichinomiya
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.22 ฿72.9
$1.26 ¥197
76.19%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.90 ฿753
$48.36 ¥7,555
-52.65%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.03 ฿99.6
$2.83 ¥443
7.07%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 ฿35.31
$2.90 ¥453
-63.10%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.93 ฿129
$20.54 ¥3,208
-80.87%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.49 ฿49.04
$1.22 ¥191
22.13%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.1K ฿891.7K
$22.1K ¥3.5M
22.63%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.5K ฿902.3K
$16.5K ¥2.6M
65.88%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Ichinomiya
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$103 ฿3,379
$129 ¥20.2K
-20.35%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.99 ฿361
$22.19 ¥3,466
-50.47%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.51 ฿576
$33.71 ¥5,267
-48.06%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Ichinomiya
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$53.5 ฿1,760
$55.0 ¥8,598
-2.74%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.20 ฿368
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.48 ฿246
$13.66 ¥2,134
-45.24%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Ichinomiya
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$557 ฿18.3K
$513 ¥80.1K
8.65%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.9K ฿389.6K
$11.5K ¥1.8M
3.23%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Ichinomiya
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$64.1 ฿2,106
$43.38 ¥6,777
47.69%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.07 ฿956
$28.26 ¥4,414
2.87%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.0 ฿3,154
$52.8 ¥8,252
81.67%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.3 ฿2,970
$87.5 ¥13.7K
3.26%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Ichinomiya
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$730 ฿24.0K
$400 ¥62.5K
82.50%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$500 ฿16.4K
$316 ¥49.3K
58.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,090 ฿68.7K
$1,070 ¥167.1K
95.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,209 ฿39.7K
$764 ¥119.3K
58.34%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,596 ฿118.2K
$4,835 ¥755.4K
-25.63%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,512 ฿82.6K
$2,162 ¥337.7K
16.23%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Ichinomiya
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$503 ฿16.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
2.06
170.39%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Last update for Ichinomiya: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $730 in Phuket versus $400 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 $33.00 in Phuket versus $33.00 in Ichinomiya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $273 vs $285 – 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 Ichinomiya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ichinomiya cheaper than Phuket?
Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 7%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,880 per month in Phuket and $1,762 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 Ichinomiya, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or in Ichinomiya?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Phuket and $33.00 in Ichinomiya. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Phuket and in Ichinomiya?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,253 in Phuket and $1,175 in Ichinomiya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Ichinomiya?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ichinomiya, where all-in costs run around $1,175, than in Phuket at $1,253. In Ichinomiya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Phuket or Ichinomiya more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Ichinomiya – 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 Ichinomiya. 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.

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