Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Nago, Okinawa Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Nago, Okinawa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $1,248 in Nago, Okinawa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $1,911 in Nago, Okinawa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $2,574 in Nago, Okinawa, rent included.

Phuket and Nago, Okinawa have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Phuket and Nago, Okinawa are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Nago, Okinawa 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$6.82 ¥1,107

-33.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$35.03 ¥5,691

31.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$5.40 ¥877

63.70%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$3.13 ¥509

-2.24%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$1.09 ¥178

-33.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.82 ¥133

-51.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$2.02 ¥329

20.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$3.18 ¥517

18.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.51 ¥246

49.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.65 ¥269

9.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$4.83 ¥785

-53.42%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$2.26 ¥367

-0.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$10.00 ¥1,625

95.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$6.15 ¥999

-40.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$15.34 ¥2,493

-14.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$5.25 ¥853

-38.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$2.66 ¥432

-39.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$3.98 ¥647

-40.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$4.59 ¥746

-55.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$3.22 ¥523

-52.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$2.63 ¥427

-42.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$1.33 ¥216

-26.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.83 ¥134

-37.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$4.07 ¥662

9.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$6.71 ¥1,091

173.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.96 ¥319

-5.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$2.37 ¥385

13.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$1.66 ¥270

-15.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$56.4 ¥9,163

-79.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$3.57 ¥580

-12.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$3.00 ¥488

-65.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$20.69 ¥3,362

-31.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.24 ¥202

5.65%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$23.6K ¥3.8M

17.71%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$17.0K ¥2.8M

95.41%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$143 ¥23.3K

-14.62%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$27.13 ¥4,409

-49.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$33.39 ¥5,426

-44.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$57.0 ¥9,256

6.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$13.99 ¥2,273

21.37%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$12.96 ¥2,105

-30.02%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$285 ¥46.3K

147.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$13.2K ¥2.1M

19.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$43.24 ¥7,026

35.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$30.01 ¥4,877

17.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$59.0 ¥9,586

95.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$92.7 ¥15.1K

-9.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$470 ¥76.4K

33.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$334 ¥54.2K

33.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$861 ¥140.0K

136.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$655 ¥106.4K

127.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$2,839 ¥461.2K

22.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$2,117 ¥344.0K

21.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Nago, Okinawa: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Phuket versus $470 in Nago, Okinawa. 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $35.00 in Nago, Okinawa. Groceries tell a different story – $289 in Phuket vs $306 in Nago, Okinawa – 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 Nago, Okinawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,875 per month in Phuket and $1,873 in Nago, Okinawa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nago, Okinawa, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Phuket – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

Kindergarten costs $706 per month in Phuket and $285 in Nago, Okinawa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Nago, Okinawa, where all-in costs run around $1,248, than in Phuket at $1,250. In Nago, Okinawa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Nago, Okinawa – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Nago, Okinawa. 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.