Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and LongyanCost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Longyan
Monthly Cost of Living
😐A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $455 in Longyan, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $753 in Longyan, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $1,052 in Longyan, rent included.
😐Phuket costs about 171% more than Longyan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Phuket and Longyan are more affordable than the global median – Phuket10% lower, Longyan67% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Longyan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.41฿147
$3.03¥20.32
45.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.26฿1,073
$21.97¥147
46.84%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.93฿297
$5.23¥35.04
70.75%
Cappuccino
$2.90฿96.3
$2.25¥15.06
28.89%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88฿29.29
$0.49¥3.27
79.59%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48฿16.01
$0.27¥1.79
77.78%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.35฿78.2
$0.85¥5.70
176.47%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿124
$1.67¥11.22
122.75%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Longyan
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.87฿62.1
$2.07¥13.87
-9.66%
White Bread(500g)
$1.47฿48.78
$1.46¥9.81
0.68%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.55฿51.6
$0.71¥4.75
118.31%
Eggs
$2.10฿69.9
$1.51¥10.14
39.07%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.59฿652
$7.33¥49.14
167.26%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.42฿114
$2.96¥19.83
15.54%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.38฿379
$9.26¥62.1
22.89%
Apples(1kg)
$2.98฿99.3
$1.86¥12.47
60.22%
Banana(1kg)
$1.68฿56.1
$1.31¥8.79
28.24%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.21฿73.5
$1.70¥11.37
30.00%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.16฿71.9
$1.12¥7.48
92.86%
Potato(1kg)
$1.52฿50.7
$0.85¥5.67
78.82%
Onion(1kg)
$1.34฿44.52
$0.99¥6.60
35.35%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.13฿37.55
$0.43¥2.89
162.79%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55฿18.18
$0.52¥3.51
5.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26฿142
$3.26¥21.87
30.67%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.09฿635
$12.10¥81.1
57.77%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿59.2
$0.77¥5.14
131.17%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78฿92.6
$1.16¥7.77
139.66%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Longyan
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.23฿74.2
$0.13¥0.86
1615.38%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$22.74฿756
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.03฿101
$1.06¥7.11
185.85%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.02฿34.04
$0.47¥3.13
117.02%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.89฿129
$7.61¥51.0
-48.88%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.49฿49.60
$1.22¥8.14
22.13%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.6K฿884.4K
$19.4K¥129.9K
37.07%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0K฿899.3K
$15.3K¥102.6K
76.48%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Longyan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$102฿3,409
$65.1¥436
57.33%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.33฿377
$15.70¥105
-27.83%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.40฿579
$9.09¥60.9
91.42%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Longyan
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.1฿1,733
-
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.07฿368
$4.51¥30.21
145.45%
Cinema Ticket
$7.69฿256
$7.29¥48.86
5.49%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Longyan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$561฿18.7K
$208¥1,395
169.21%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.5K฿382.8K
$11.9K¥79.5K
-3.06%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Longyan
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.0฿2,097
$29.86¥200
111.09%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.52฿982
$14.78¥99.0
99.73%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$98.0฿3,261
$75.7¥507
29.53%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.5฿2,944
$95.9¥643
-7.73%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Longyan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$738฿24.6K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$482฿16.0K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,107฿70.1K
$376¥2,516
460.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,226฿40.8K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,617฿120.3K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,603฿86.6K
$1,321¥8,849
97.10%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Longyan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$494฿16.4K
$499¥3,341
-1.01%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
3.22
72.98%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026
Last update for Longyan: September 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
💰Salaries run about 1% higher in Longyan, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $22.00 in Longyan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $181 – making Longyan 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 Longyan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Phuket and in Longyan compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,232 in Phuket, $455 in Longyan – roughly 171% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Phuket compared to Longyan?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $683 in Longyan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket and $22.00 in Longyan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 51% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Longyan, where all-in costs run around $455, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Longyan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Phuket and Longyan?
It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $455 in Longyan to $1,232 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Phuket or Longyan 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 Longyan?
If budget matters most, go with Longyan. 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.