Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Obihiro Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Obihiro

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $1,249 in Obihiro, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $1,966 in Obihiro, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $2,682 in Obihiro, rent included.

Phuket and Obihiro have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Obihiro
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.55 ฿153
$7.86 ¥1,276
-42.11%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.18 ฿1,553
$34.61 ¥5,624
33.43%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.84 ฿297
$5.81 ¥945
52.15%
Cappuccino
$3.06 ฿103
$3.06 ¥497
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73 ฿24.40
$1.05 ¥171
-30.48%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40 ฿13.39
$0.74 ¥121
-45.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.43 ฿81.8
$2.57 ¥417
-5.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78 ฿127
$3.20 ¥519
18.12%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Obihiro
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.26 ฿76.0
$1.56 ¥254
44.87%
White Bread (500g)
$1.81 ฿60.9
$1.48 ¥240
22.30%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.25 ฿75.8
$3.77 ¥613
-40.32%
Eggs
$2.25 ฿75.5
$2.29 ¥372
-1.75%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.51 ฿656
$12.01 ¥1,951
62.45%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.65 ฿123
$6.50 ¥1,056
-43.85%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.05 ฿439
$15.35 ¥2,495
-14.98%
Apples (1kg)
$3.23 ฿109
$5.44 ¥884
-40.63%
Banana (1kg)
$1.62 ฿54.4
$2.56 ¥416
-36.72%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.38 ฿80.1
$3.92 ¥637
-39.29%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.03 ฿68.1
$6.02 ¥978
-66.28%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 ฿51.6
$3.11 ¥506
-50.80%
Onion (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.5
$2.58 ¥419
-41.86%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.98 ฿32.91
$1.52 ¥248
-35.53%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.39
$0.88 ¥144
-40.91%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.44 ฿149
$4.15 ¥674
6.99%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.32 ฿616
$7.44 ¥1,209
146.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86 ฿62.7
$1.85 ¥300
0.54%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68 ฿90.1
$2.22 ¥361
20.72%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Obihiro
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.41 ฿47.46
$1.61 ¥262
-12.42%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.70 ฿393
$54.8 ¥8,895
-78.63%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.11 ฿105
$3.57 ¥580
-12.89%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.04 ฿35.06
$3.01 ¥488
-65.45%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.11 ฿474
$20.49 ¥3,330
-31.14%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 ฿44.10
$1.24 ¥201
5.65%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K ฿935.4K
$23.2K ¥3.8M
20.06%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.2K ฿1.1M
$17.4K ¥2.8M
90.66%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Obihiro
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$122 ฿4,118
$169 ¥27.5K
-27.72%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.59 ฿457
$27.51 ¥4,470
-50.60%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.70 ฿629
$43.64 ¥7,091
-57.15%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Obihiro
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.5 ฿2,034
$55.1 ¥8,944
9.88%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.98 ฿571
$13.73 ¥2,230
23.67%
Cinema Ticket
$9.07 ฿305
$12.27 ¥1,994
-26.08%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Obihiro
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$706 ฿23.8K
$283 ¥45.9K
150.01%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.8K ฿531.5K
$13.5K ¥2.2M
16.90%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Obihiro
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.6 ฿1,969
$27.40 ¥4,452
113.69%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.36 ฿1,189
$29.56 ¥4,803
19.62%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 ฿3,883
$59.9 ¥9,734
92.72%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.7 ฿2,816
$92.7 ¥15.1K
-9.70%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Obihiro
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$626 ฿21.0K
$443 ¥71.9K
41.31%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$445 ฿15.0K
$309 ¥50.2K
44.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,040 ฿68.6K
$877 ¥142.4K
132.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,492 ฿50.2K
$649 ¥105.4K
130.10%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,483 ฿117.1K
$4,848 ¥787.7K
-28.17%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,577 ฿86.7K
$1,841 ¥299.1K
39.95%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Obihiro
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$500 ฿16.8K
-
-
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 Obihiro: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Phuket versus $443 in Obihiro. 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 Obihiro. Groceries tell a different story – $289 in Phuket vs $317 in Obihiro – 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 Obihiro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What salary covers living expenses in Phuket compared to Obihiro?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,875 per month in Phuket and $1,873 in Obihiro. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Phuket and Obihiro?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Obihiro, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Interestingly, groceries are about 10% cheaper in Phuket – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Phuket and Obihiro?
Kindergarten costs $706 per month in Phuket and $283 in Obihiro. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Obihiro, where all-in costs run around $1,249, than in Phuket at $1,250. In Obihiro it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Phuket and Obihiro?
It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,249 in Obihiro to $1,250 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Phuket or Obihiro safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Phuket and Obihiro?
If budget matters most, go with Obihiro. 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.

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