Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Miaoli Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Miaoli

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $788 in Miaoli.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $1,105 in Miaoli.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $1,423 in Miaoli.

Living in Phuket is roughly 61% more expensive than in Miaoli, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Miaoli 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$2.61 NT$82.5

78.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$24.16 NT$764

33.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$4.80 NT$152

80.83%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$3.06 NT$96.9

-5.23%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 ฿27.89

$0.88 NT$27.84

-4.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.58 NT$18.39

-15.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$1.26 NT$39.72

96.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$1.32 NT$41.84

182.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$2.86 NT$90.3

-33.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$1.22 NT$38.51

15.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$2.60 NT$82.4

-37.69%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$2.22 NT$70.2

0.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$9.55 NT$302

107.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$7.59 NT$240

-54.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$21.61 NT$684

-47.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$3.88 NT$123

-25.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$2.08 NT$65.7

-17.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$3.02 NT$95.6

-24.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$3.06 NT$96.8

-30.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$2.60 NT$82.2

-43.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$1.95 NT$61.8

-27.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$2.41 NT$76.1

-54.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$0.87 NT$27.58

-31.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$3.98 NT$126

8.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$10.94 NT$346

70.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$1.46 NT$46.15

23.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$2.19 NT$69.2

35.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$2.80 NT$88.7

10.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$0.76 NT$24.03

42.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$7.19 NT$227

-46.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$1.00 NT$31.66

43.00%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$33.3K NT$1.1M

-16.68%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$24.4K NT$772.0K

10.54%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$105 ฿3,462

$70.0 NT$2,215

49.65%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$11.39 ฿376

$18.28 NT$578

-37.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$21.95 NT$694

-20.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$10.90 NT$345

-28.62%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$576 ฿19.0K

$521 NT$16.5K

10.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$32.3K NT$1.0M

-64.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$12.91 NT$408

392.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$25.01 NT$791

16.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$62.5 NT$1,977

53.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$97.5 NT$3,082

-7.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$220 NT$6,968

232.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$161 NT$5,094

210.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

$2,543 NT$80.4K

-80.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

2.18

155.50%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Miaoli: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $733 in Phuket and $220 in Miaoli. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Miaoli pays 401% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $24.00 in Miaoli. Groceries flip the comparison at $275 vs $316, with Phuket cheaper for home cooking.

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 Miaoli: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Miaoli differ by about 61% in total monthly costs ($1,265 vs $788 including rent). Miaoli is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 401% lower in Miaoli. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $733 in Phuket versus $220 in Miaoli. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Phuket pay roughly 15% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $788 in Miaoli – a 61% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $788 in Miaoli versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Miaoli but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Miaoli the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Miaoli are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Miaoli gentler on the wallet – expenses run 61% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.