🙂A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $1,277 in Nishinomiya, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $2,032 in Nishinomiya, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $2,786 in Nishinomiya, rent included.
🙂Phuket is about 2% cheaper than Nishinomiya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Phuket and Nishinomiya are more affordable than the global median – Phuket6% lower, Nishinomiya4% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Nishinomiya
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.55฿153
$6.88¥1,117
-33.87%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.18฿1,553
$35.15¥5,711
31.38%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿297
$4.83¥785
83.02%
Cappuccino
$3.06฿103
$3.02¥491
1.32%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73฿24.40
$1.12¥182
-34.82%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40฿13.39
$0.75¥121
-46.67%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.43฿81.8
$2.82¥458
-13.83%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78฿127
$3.18¥516
18.87%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Nishinomiya
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿76.0
$1.60¥260
41.25%
White Bread(500g)
$1.81฿60.9
$1.72¥279
5.23%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.25฿75.8
$4.87¥791
-53.80%
Eggs
$2.25฿75.5
$2.38¥386
-5.46%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.51฿656
$10.75¥1,746
81.49%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿123
$7.82¥1,270
-53.32%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.05฿439
$32.78¥5,326
-60.19%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23฿109
$5.43¥882
-40.52%
Banana(1kg)
$1.62฿54.4
$2.10¥341
-22.86%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.38฿80.1
$3.40¥552
-30.00%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿68.1
$6.71¥1,090
-69.75%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿51.6
$1.70¥276
-10.00%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿50.5
$2.64¥429
-43.18%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.98฿32.91
$1.33¥216
-26.32%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52฿17.39
$0.82¥133
-36.59%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.44฿149
$3.39¥550
30.97%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.32฿616
$9.46¥1,538
93.66%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86฿62.7
$2.73¥443
-31.87%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68฿90.1
$2.34¥381
14.53%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Nishinomiya
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.41฿47.46
$1.35¥219
4.44%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.70฿393
$55.9¥9,087
-79.08%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.11฿105
$3.52¥572
-11.65%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿35.06
$2.96¥481
-64.86%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.11฿474
$17.63¥2,865
-19.97%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31฿44.10
$1.23¥201
6.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K฿935.4K
$22.9K¥3.7M
21.59%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.2K฿1.1M
$17.2K¥2.8M
92.93%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Nishinomiya
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿4,118
$134¥21.7K
-8.51%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.59฿457
$27.03¥4,391
-49.72%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.70฿629
$30.77¥5,000
-39.23%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Nishinomiya
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.5฿2,034
$51.8¥8,419
16.73%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.98฿571
$13.65¥2,218
24.40%
Cinema Ticket
$9.07฿305
$12.59¥2,046
-27.96%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Nishinomiya
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$706฿23.8K
$69.9¥11.4K
910.86%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.8K฿531.5K
$10.2K¥1.7M
54.50%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Nishinomiya
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.6฿1,969
$44.40¥7,215
31.87%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.36฿1,189
$29.59¥4,808
19.50%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,883
$56.4¥9,166
104.68%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.7฿2,816
$91.0¥14.8K
-7.96%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Nishinomiya
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$626฿21.0K
$467¥75.9K
33.86%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$445฿15.0K
$335¥54.4K
32.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,040฿68.6K
$870¥141.3K
134.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿50.2K
$653¥106.2K
128.37%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,483฿117.1K
$3,818¥620.3K
-8.78%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,577฿86.7K
$1,940¥315.1K
32.85%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Nishinomiya
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$500฿16.8K
$1,947¥316.3K
-74.32%
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: July 12, 2026
Last update for Nishinomiya: July 14, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Phuket versus $467 in Nishinomiya. 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 289% higher in Nishinomiya, 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $35.00 in Nishinomiya. Groceries tell a different story – $289 in Phuket vs $381 in Nishinomiya – 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 Nishinomiya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nishinomiya cheaper than Phuket?
Yes – Nishinomiya is pricier by about 2%, 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 $1,875 per month in Phuket and $1,915 in Nishinomiya. 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 in Nishinomiya?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket and $35.00 in Nishinomiya. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Phuket and in Nishinomiya?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,250 in Phuket and $1,277 in Nishinomiya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Nishinomiya?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,250, than in Nishinomiya at $1,277. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nishinomiya it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Phuket or Nishinomiya 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 Nishinomiya?
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, Nishinomiya makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.