Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and New Taipei City Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and New Taipei City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,338 in New Taipei City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $2,200 in New Taipei City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $3,062 in New Taipei City.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 6% less than in New Taipei City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 5% below, New Taipei City is 1% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$5.01 NT$162

-10.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$33.55 NT$1,083

35.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$5.85 NT$189

49.74%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$3.00 NT$96.8

-1.00%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.87 NT$28.21

-20.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.73 NT$23.53

-46.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$2.01 NT$65.0

25.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$2.73 NT$88.1

37.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$3.27 NT$106

-34.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$1.91 NT$61.7

-4.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$3.17 NT$103

-31.23%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$3.04 NT$98.3

-25.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$20.08 NT$649

-0.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$8.78 NT$283

-58.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$19.97 NT$645

-32.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$4.61 NT$149

-29.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$2.67 NT$86.2

-38.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$2.73 NT$88.2

-14.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$4.24 NT$137

-51.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$2.86 NT$92.4

-45.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$2.19 NT$70.6

-33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$2.04 NT$65.9

-51.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$1.29 NT$41.69

-62.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$4.12 NT$133

5.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$8.75 NT$283

112.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$1.72 NT$55.5

8.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$2.42 NT$78.0

9.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.66 NT$21.44

115.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$41.37 NT$1,336

-72.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$2.91 NT$93.8

8.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$0.80 NT$25.76

28.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$10.30 NT$332

34.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.08 NT$34.89

24.07%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$37.4K NT$1.2M

-25.75%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$27.1K NT$874.9K

23.20%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$94.6 NT$3,054

30.12%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$24.17 NT$781

-43.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$24.21 NT$782

-24.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$39.01 NT$1,260

55.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$16.35 NT$528

4.95%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$12.04 NT$389

-26.33%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$640 NT$20.7K

7.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$18.7K NT$603.6K

-15.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$77.5 NT$2,501

-23.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$33.91 NT$1,095

2.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$93.3 NT$3,012

23.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$121 NT$3,911

-30.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$653 NT$21.1K

-4.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$463 NT$14.9K

-3.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$1,725 NT$55.7K

17.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$1,081 NT$34.9K

38.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$12.5K NT$404.7K

-72.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$7,073 NT$228.4K

-64.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$1,402 NT$45.3K

-64.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

2.19

143.38%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for New Taipei City: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $653 in New Taipei City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

New Taipei City pays 184% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $34.00 in New Taipei City. Groceries flip the comparison at $291 vs $379, 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 New Taipei City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and New Taipei City differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($1,264 vs $1,338 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 184% lower in New Taipei City. 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: $621 in Phuket versus $653 in New Taipei City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,264 per month in Phuket versus $1,338 in New Taipei City – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 258% less than in New Taipei City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,338 in New Taipei City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in New Taipei City. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket 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 New Taipei City 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in New Taipei City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.