Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Maebashi Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Maebashi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $1,300 in Maebashi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $2,030 in Maebashi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $2,760 in Maebashi, rent included.

Phuket is about 3% cheaper than Maebashi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Maebashi are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Maebashi 3% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Maebashi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70 ฿154
$4.99 ¥798
-5.81%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37 ฿1,483
$35.13 ¥5,619
29.15%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.43 ฿276
$5.79 ¥926
45.60%
Cappuccino
$2.93 ฿95.7
$2.98 ¥477
-1.68%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69 ฿22.42
$0.80 ¥128
-13.75%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 ฿12.00
$0.68 ¥109
-45.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.41 ฿78.7
$2.36 ¥377
2.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72 ฿122
$3.20 ¥513
16.25%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Maebashi
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.23 ฿73.0
$1.41 ¥225
58.16%
White Bread (500g)
$1.83 ฿59.9
$1.74 ¥278
5.17%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.17 ฿70.9
$1.42 ¥227
52.82%
Eggs
$2.21 ฿72.4
$1.78 ¥285
24.16%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.74 ฿645
$17.00 ¥2,719
16.12%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.63 ฿119
$5.11 ¥817
-28.96%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.53 ฿442
$15.49 ¥2,477
-12.65%
Apples (1kg)
$3.28 ฿107
$8.97 ¥1,435
-63.43%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 ฿52.7
$2.76 ¥442
-41.67%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.41 ฿78.7
$4.79 ¥767
-49.69%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿68.1
$9.77 ¥1,562
-78.71%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 ฿49.97
$4.00 ¥640
-61.75%
Onion (1kg)
$1.48 ฿48.41
$2.58 ¥412
-42.64%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.99 ฿32.32
$1.33 ¥213
-25.56%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 ฿16.68
$0.54 ¥86.3
-5.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41 ฿144
$3.46 ¥553
27.46%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.38 ฿634
$9.61 ¥1,536
101.66%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 ฿58.1
$2.85 ¥456
-37.54%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71 ฿88.7
$2.29 ¥366
18.34%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Maebashi
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.37 ฿44.83
$1.65 ¥264
-16.97%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.39 ฿372
$54.4 ¥8,708
-79.08%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿98.7
$3.51 ¥561
-13.96%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.99 ฿32.51
$2.98 ¥477
-66.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.10 ฿461
$34.41 ¥5,503
-59.02%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.36 ฿44.55
$1.17 ¥187
16.24%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K ฿921.9K
$23.1K ¥3.7M
21.89%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K ฿1.1M
$16.7K ¥2.7M
96.60%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Maebashi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$122 ฿3,978
$138 ¥22.1K
-11.84%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57 ฿444
$26.89 ¥4,301
-49.54%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31 ฿599
$33.74 ¥5,397
-45.73%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Maebashi
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.2 ฿1,969
$55.2 ¥8,826
9.13%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14 ฿560
$13.95 ¥2,231
22.87%
Cinema Ticket
$8.69 ฿284
$12.25 ¥1,959
-29.06%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Maebashi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$693 ฿22.7K
$474 ¥75.8K
46.30%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.7K ฿512.8K
$11.1K ¥1.8M
41.34%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Maebashi
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5 ฿1,946
$46.31 ¥7,407
28.55%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77 ฿1,137
$32.09 ¥5,133
8.35%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 ฿3,746
$56.5 ¥9,041
102.72%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3 ฿2,723
$92.7 ¥14.8K
-10.13%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Maebashi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$613 ฿20.0K
$462 ¥73.8K
32.81%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$437 ฿14.3K
$327 ¥52.3K
33.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,094 ฿68.5K
$861 ¥137.7K
143.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,509 ฿49.3K
$652 ¥104.4K
131.37%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,749 ฿122.6K
$4,596 ¥735.1K
-18.42%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,616 ฿85.5K
$2,516 ¥402.4K
3.96%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Maebashi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$508 ฿16.6K
$1,715 ¥274.2K
-70.36%
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 Maebashi: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $462 in Maebashi. 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 237% higher in Maebashi, 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 $45.00 in Phuket versus $35.00 in Maebashi. Groceries tell a different story – $293 in Phuket vs $364 in Maebashi – 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 Maebashi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Maebashi cheaper than Phuket?
Yes – Maebashi is pricier by about 3%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. 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 $1,950 in Maebashi. 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.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or Maebashi?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket and $35.00 in Maebashi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Phuket vs Maebashi?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,265 in Phuket and $1,300 in Maebashi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Maebashi?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Maebashi at $1,300. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Maebashi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Phuket or Maebashi 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 Maebashi?
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, Maebashi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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