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: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,239 in New Taipei City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $2,038 in New Taipei City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $2,837 in New Taipei City.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 1% less than in New Taipei City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, New Taipei City 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$4.70 NT$150

-6.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$31.51 NT$1,003

2.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$5.23 NT$166

70.75%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$2.24 NT$71.2

29.46%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$0.88 NT$28.04

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.56 NT$17.94

-14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$1.67 NT$53.3

40.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$2.45 NT$78.0

51.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$3.08 NT$98.1

-39.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$1.82 NT$57.8

-19.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$2.20 NT$70.0

-29.55%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$2.19 NT$69.6

-4.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$25.19 NT$802

-22.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$10.60 NT$337

-67.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$18.94 NT$603

-39.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$4.13 NT$131

-27.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$2.44 NT$77.7

-31.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$2.81 NT$89.6

-21.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$3.99 NT$127

-45.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$4.02 NT$128

-62.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$2.07 NT$66.0

-35.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$1.64 NT$52.1

-31.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$1.04 NT$33.16

-47.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$4.46 NT$142

-4.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$8.89 NT$283

114.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$1.49 NT$47.28

19.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$2.01 NT$63.9

38.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$0.82 NT$26.19

171.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

$37.92 NT$1,207

-40.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$2.82 NT$89.8

7.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$0.99 NT$31.61

3.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$9.69 NT$309

-59.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$1.01 NT$32.00

47.52%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$33.9K NT$1.1M

-21.65%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$24.4K NT$775.7K

10.92%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$112 NT$3,558

-8.32%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$16.69 NT$531

-32.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$22.96 NT$731

-24.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$39.29 NT$1,251

32.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$7.78 NT$248

42.29%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$12.64 NT$402

-39.16%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$650 NT$20.7K

-13.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$21.2K NT$676.1K

-45.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$35.16 NT$1,119

79.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$31.25 NT$995

-5.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$93.8 NT$2,985

4.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$99.4 NT$3,162

-10.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$646 NT$20.6K

14.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$340 NT$10.8K

41.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$1,396 NT$44.4K

50.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$926 NT$29.5K

32.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$12.4K NT$394.3K

-70.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$7,248 NT$230.7K

-64.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$1,391 NT$44.3K

-64.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

2.81

98.22%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for New Taipei City: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $646 in New Taipei City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

New Taipei City pays 182% 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $32.00 in New Taipei City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $383 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

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 1% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $1,239 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 182% 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: $738 in Phuket versus $646 in New Taipei City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $1,239 in New Taipei City – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 67% less than in New Taipei City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,239 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 1% less than in New Taipei City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.