Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kashiwa Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kashiwa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $1,332 in Kashiwa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $1,855 in Kashiwa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $2,378 in Kashiwa, rent included.

Phuket is about 6% cheaper than Kashiwa, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Kashiwa is 0% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Kashiwa
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.55 ฿153
$7.00 ¥1,138
-35.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.18 ฿1,553
$27.50 ¥4,469
67.93%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.84 ฿297
$5.68 ¥923
55.63%
Cappuccino
$3.06 ฿103
$3.08 ¥500
-0.65%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73 ฿24.40
$0.82 ¥133
-10.98%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40 ฿13.39
$0.74 ¥121
-45.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.43 ฿81.8
$2.03 ¥330
19.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78 ฿127
$2.69 ¥437
40.52%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Kashiwa
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.26 ฿76.0
$1.27 ¥206
77.95%
White Bread (500g)
$1.81 ฿60.9
$1.08 ¥176
67.59%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.25 ฿75.8
$4.98 ¥809
-54.82%
Eggs
$2.25 ฿75.5
$2.03 ¥330
10.84%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.51 ฿656
$6.91 ¥1,123
182.34%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.65 ฿123
$6.22 ¥1,011
-41.32%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.05 ฿439
$10.45 ¥1,698
24.88%
Apples (1kg)
$3.23 ฿109
$4.91 ¥798
-34.22%
Banana (1kg)
$1.62 ฿54.4
$2.72 ¥442
-40.44%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.38 ฿80.1
$4.11 ¥668
-42.09%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.03 ฿68.1
$6.12 ¥995
-66.83%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 ฿51.6
$2.74 ¥444
-44.16%
Onion (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.5
$2.31 ¥376
-35.06%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.98 ฿32.91
$0.67 ¥110
46.27%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.39
$0.53 ¥85.6
-1.89%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.44 ฿149
$4.04 ¥656
9.90%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.32 ฿616
$9.02 ¥1,466
103.10%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86 ฿62.7
$1.76 ¥286
5.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68 ฿90.1
$2.07 ¥336
29.47%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Kashiwa
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.41 ฿47.46
$1.57 ¥255
-10.19%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.70 ฿393
$56.4 ¥9,157
-79.24%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.11 ฿105
$3.51 ¥570
-11.40%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.04 ฿35.06
$2.27 ¥369
-54.19%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.11 ฿474
$22.36 ¥3,632
-36.90%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 ฿44.10
$1.19 ¥194
10.08%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K ฿935.4K
$23.6K ¥3.8M
17.95%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.2K ฿1.1M
$18.3K ¥3.0M
81.08%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Kashiwa
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$122 ฿4,118
$144 ¥23.4K
-14.96%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.59 ฿457
$27.82 ¥4,521
-51.15%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.70 ฿629
$34.22 ¥5,560
-45.35%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Kashiwa
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.5 ฿2,034
$54.9 ¥8,915
10.24%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.98 ฿571
$14.08 ¥2,288
20.60%
Cinema Ticket
$9.07 ฿305
$13.53 ¥2,198
-32.96%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Kashiwa
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$706 ฿23.8K
$281 ¥45.7K
151.20%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.8K ฿531.5K
$14.1K ¥2.3M
12.41%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Kashiwa
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.6 ฿1,969
$40.93 ¥6,651
43.05%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.36 ฿1,189
$29.62 ¥4,813
19.38%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 ฿3,883
$58.9 ¥9,569
96.06%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.7 ฿2,816
$112 ¥18.2K
-25.19%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Kashiwa
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$626 ฿21.0K
$637 ¥103.5K
-1.78%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$445 ฿15.0K
$446 ¥72.4K
-0.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,040 ฿68.6K
$841 ¥136.6K
142.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,492 ฿50.2K
$524 ¥85.1K
184.95%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,483 ฿117.1K
$4,375 ¥710.8K
-20.40%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,577 ฿86.7K
$2,349 ¥381.6K
9.71%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Kashiwa
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$500 ฿16.8K
$2,402 ¥390.3K
-79.19%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.33
2.05
160.00%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Kashiwa: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Phuket versus $637 in Kashiwa. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 381% higher in Kashiwa, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket versus $28.00 in Kashiwa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $276 – making Kashiwa 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 Kashiwa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Phuket and in Kashiwa compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,250 in Phuket, $1,332 in Kashiwa – roughly 7% apart. Kashiwa costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Phuket compared to Kashiwa?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,875 per month in Phuket and $1,998 in Kashiwa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Phuket and Kashiwa?
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.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Phuket and Kashiwa?
Kindergarten costs $706 per month in Phuket and $281 in Kashiwa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Kashiwa – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,250, than in Kashiwa at $1,332. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kashiwa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Phuket and Kashiwa?
It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,250 in Phuket to $1,332 in Kashiwa. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Phuket or Kashiwa safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Phuket and Kashiwa?
If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kashiwa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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