Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Shanghai Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Shanghai

😐 Solo nomad: Phuket is 14.9% more expensive than Shanghai without rent, and 1.3% more expensive with rent.
😐 Family of 3: Phuket is 17.8% more expensive than Shanghai without rent, and 23.8% more expensive with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Shanghai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.68 ฿151
$4.73 ¥33.92
-1.06%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.4 ฿1,502
$36.17 ¥259
28.28%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.65 ฿280
$5.6 ¥40.18
54.46%
Cappuccino
$3.09 ฿100
$3.56 ¥25.53
-13.20%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73 ฿23.53
$0.54 ¥3.9
35.19%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 ฿11.95
$0.36 ¥2.59
2.78%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.39 ฿77.4
$1.43 ¥10.25
67.13%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.62 ฿117
$2.76 ¥19.81
31.16%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Shanghai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.24 ฿72.5
$2.18 ¥15.66
2.75%
White Bread (500g)
$1.8 ฿58.2
$1.81 ¥13
-0.55%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.24 ฿72.3
$1.1 ¥7.9
103.64%
Eggs
$2.23 ฿72.1
$1.69 ¥12.1
31.95%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.31 ฿625
$15.79 ¥113
22.29%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.77 ฿122
$3.17 ¥22.76
18.93%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.05 ฿422
$10.88 ¥78.1
19.94%
Apples (1kg)
$3.28 ฿106
$2.26 ¥16.24
45.13%
Banana (1kg)
$1.63 ฿52.6
$1.67 ¥11.98
-2.40%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.4 ฿77.7
$1.78 ¥12.78
34.83%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.99 ฿64.3
$1.52 ¥10.94
30.92%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 ฿49.62
$0.85 ¥6.09
80.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.49 ฿48.11
$1.17 ¥8.37
27.35%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.02 ฿32.87
$0.68 ¥4.84
50.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48 ฿15.61
$0.6 ¥4.29
-20.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.32 ฿140
$2.87 ¥20.56
50.52%
Wine (Bottle)
$21.68 ฿702
$11.16 ¥80
94.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 ฿57.3
$0.8 ¥5.73
121.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.79 ฿90.4
$1.56 ¥11.22
78.85%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Shanghai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.35 ฿43.74
$0.4 ¥2.89
237.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.76 ฿380
$35.15 ¥252
-66.54%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.15 ฿102
$2.29 ¥16.45
37.55%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1 ฿32.3
$0.37 ¥2.69
170.27%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.64 ฿442
$8.14 ¥58.4
67.57%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.3 ฿42.2
$1.09 ¥7.81
19.27%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.4K ฿885.2K
$19.5K ¥140.1K
40.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.9K ฿1.1M
$18.2K ¥130.5K
86.34%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Shanghai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$123 ฿3,970
$51.6 ¥370
137.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.93 ฿451
$8.68 ¥62.2
60.48%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.24 ฿590
$13.5 ¥96.8
35.11%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Shanghai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.8 ฿1,966
$46.42 ¥333
30.87%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.11 ฿554
$20.44 ¥147
-16.29%
Cinema Ticket
$9.07 ฿294
$8.58 ¥61.5
5.71%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Shanghai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$694 ฿22.5K
$1,307 ¥9,378
-46.90%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.9K ฿514.4K
$31.4K ¥225.4K
-49.41%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Shanghai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.5 ฿1,861
$58.8 ¥422
-2.18%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.51 ฿1,117
$36.99 ¥265
-6.70%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 ฿3,727
$77.7 ¥558
48.15%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.8 ฿2,743
$98.5 ¥706
-13.91%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Shanghai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$611 ฿19.8K
$952 ¥6,827
-35.80%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$442 ฿14.3K
$574 ¥4,115
-22.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,014 ฿65.2K
$2,518 ¥18.1K
-19.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,460 ฿47.2K
$1,201 ¥8,614
21.54%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,244 ฿137.3K
$14.4K ¥103.2K
-70.51%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,886 ฿93.4K
$7,106 ¥51K
-59.38%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Shanghai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$697 ฿22.5K
$1,534 ¥11K
-54.58%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.33
3.58
48.88%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 29, 2025

Last update for Shanghai: October 28, 2025

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