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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $1,265 in Obihiro, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $1,978 in Obihiro, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $2,692 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 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$7.76 ¥1,244

-39.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,488

$35.11 ¥5,628

29.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$5.67 ¥910

48.68%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿96.0

$3.20 ¥513

-8.44%

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

$0.69 ฿22.48

$1.06 ¥171

-34.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.04

$0.80 ¥128

-53.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$2.66 ¥426

-9.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$3.05 ¥489

21.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.2

$1.51 ¥241

47.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿60.1

$1.45 ¥232

26.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿71.1

$3.78 ¥606

-42.59%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.6

$2.27 ¥364

-2.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿647

$12.37 ¥1,982

59.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$6.39 ¥1,025

-43.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿444

$15.41 ¥2,470

-12.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$5.38 ¥863

-39.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.8

$2.60 ¥417

-38.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$4.04 ¥647

-40.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.3

$5.73 ¥918

-63.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.1

$3.02 ¥484

-49.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.56

$2.59 ¥415

-42.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.42

$1.60 ¥257

-38.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.73

$0.84 ¥134

-39.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$4.27 ¥684

3.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿636

$7.57 ¥1,213

156.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.3

$1.83 ¥293

-2.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.9

$2.25 ¥361

20.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.96

$1.66 ¥267

-17.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿374

$55.1 ¥8,826

-79.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿99.0

$3.43 ¥549

-11.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.61

$2.90 ¥465

-65.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿462

$20.43 ¥3,275

-30.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.68

$1.23 ¥197

10.57%

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

$28.2K ฿924.7K

$23.5K ¥3.8M

19.95%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$17.0K ¥2.7M

93.51%

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

$122 ฿3,991

$165 ¥26.5K

-26.46%

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

$13.57 ฿445

$27.30 ¥4,376

-50.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿600

$44.12 ¥7,073

-58.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,975

$56.9 ¥9,116

5.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿562

$13.84 ¥2,219

23.84%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿285

$12.55 ¥2,012

-30.76%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$285 ¥45.7K

143.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿514.4K

$13.4K ¥2.1M

17.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,952

$28.15 ¥4,513

111.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,140

$29.76 ¥4,770

16.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,758

$59.3 ¥9,505

93.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,731

$93.3 ¥14.9K

-10.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.1K

$458 ¥73.5K

33.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$311 ¥49.9K

40.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.7K

$852 ¥136.5K

145.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.5K

$653 ¥104.7K

131.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.9K

$4,717 ¥756.1K

-20.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.8K

$2,444 ¥391.7K

7.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.7K

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Obihiro: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $458 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 $45.00 in Phuket versus $35.00 in Obihiro. Groceries tell a different story – $293 in Phuket vs $316 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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $1,897 in Obihiro. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Phuket – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

Kindergarten costs $693 per month in Phuket and $285 in Obihiro. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Obihiro, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Obihiro it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,265 in Obihiro to $1,265 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 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.