😐A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $1,227 in Kamiyama, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $1,911 in Kamiyama, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $2,596 in Kamiyama, rent included.
😐Phuket costs about 3% more than Kamiyama, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊Both Phuket and Kamiyama are more affordable than the global median – Phuket6% lower, Kamiyama8% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Kamiyama
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70฿154
$6.97¥1,115
-32.57%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37฿1,483
$34.65¥5,542
30.94%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.43฿276
$5.68¥909
48.42%
Cappuccino
$2.93฿95.7
$3.16¥506
-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
$0.81¥130
-54.32%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.41฿78.7
$2.11¥338
14.22%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿122
$3.15¥504
18.10%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Kamiyama
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.23฿73.0
$1.53¥245
45.75%
White Bread(500g)
$1.83฿59.9
$1.65¥264
10.91%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.17฿70.9
$4.70¥751
-53.83%
Eggs
$2.21฿72.4
$2.28¥365
-3.07%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.74฿645
$10.01¥1,601
97.20%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿119
$6.13¥981
-40.78%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.53฿442
$15.19¥2,430
-10.93%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28฿107
$5.36¥858
-38.81%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61฿52.7
$2.66¥426
-39.47%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿78.7
$3.99¥638
-39.60%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.1
$4.46¥713
-53.36%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿49.97
$3.35¥536
-54.33%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.41
$2.55¥408
-41.96%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99฿32.32
$1.37¥220
-27.74%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.68
$0.86¥138
-40.70%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿144
$4.06¥649
8.62%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.38฿634
$6.53¥1,045
196.78%
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
$2.31¥370
17.32%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Kamiyama
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¥8,904
-79.54%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.02฿98.7
$3.55¥567
-14.93%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.99฿32.51
$2.99¥478
-66.89%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.10฿461
$20.44¥3,269
-31.02%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36฿44.55
$1.24¥198
9.68%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K฿921.9K
$22.8K¥3.6M
23.80%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$17.3K¥2.8M
89.87%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Kamiyama
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,978
$139¥22.2K
-12.29%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿444
$26.56¥4,248
-48.91%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31฿599
$34.39¥5,501
-46.76%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Kamiyama
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.2฿1,969
$56.7¥9,072
6.17%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14฿560
$13.67¥2,187
25.38%
Cinema Ticket
$8.69฿284
$13.23¥2,117
-34.32%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Kamiyama
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$693฿22.7K
$286¥45.7K
142.50%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.7K฿512.8K
$13.6K¥2.2M
15.30%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Kamiyama
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,946
$42.88¥6,859
38.83%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77฿1,137
$29.72¥4,753
16.99%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,746
$59.5¥9,513
92.70%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3฿2,723
$92.0¥14.7K
-9.42%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Kamiyama
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$613฿20.0K
$466¥74.5K
31.66%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437฿14.3K
$332¥53.2K
31.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,094฿68.5K
$858¥137.3K
144.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509฿49.3K
$654¥104.6K
130.89%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,749฿122.6K
$2,758¥441.1K
35.96%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,616฿85.5K
$1,897¥303.4K
37.92%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Kamiyama
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
1.81
194.48%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Last update for Kamiyama: May 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $466 in Kamiyama. 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 Kamiyama. Groceries tell a different story – $293 in Phuket vs $305 in Kamiyama – 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 Kamiyama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kamiyama cheaper than Phuket?
Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 3%, 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 $1,898 per month in Phuket and $1,840 in Kamiyama. 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 Kamiyama, 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 Kamiyama?
Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Phuket – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or Kamiyama?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket and $35.00 in Kamiyama. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Kamiyama?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kamiyama, where all-in costs run around $1,227, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Kamiyama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Phuket or Kamiyama more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Kamiyama – 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 Kamiyama?
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 Kamiyama. 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.