Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Taichung Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Taichung

πŸ™‚ Solo nomad: Phuket is 16.7% cheaper than Taichung without rent, and 2.6% more expensive with rent.
πŸ™‚ Family of 3: Phuket is 10% cheaper than Taichung without rent, and 18.6% more expensive with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Taichung
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.68 ΰΈΏ151
$4.98 NT$147
-6.02%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.4 ΰΈΏ1,502
$29.94 NT$883
54.98%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.65 ΰΈΏ280
$5.33 NT$157
62.29%
Cappuccino
$3.09 ΰΈΏ100
$2.91 NT$85.9
6.19%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73 ΰΈΏ23.53
$1.12 NT$32.91
-34.82%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 ΰΈΏ11.95
$0.86 NT$25.31
-56.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.39 ΰΈΏ77.4
$2.14 NT$63.2
11.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.62 ΰΈΏ117
$2.96 NT$87.3
22.30%
πŸ›’ Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Taichung
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.24 ΰΈΏ72.5
$3.74 NT$110
-40.11%
White Bread (500g)
$1.8 ΰΈΏ58.2
$1.77 NT$52.3
1.69%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.24 ΰΈΏ72.3
$2.76 NT$81.3
-18.84%
Eggs
$2.23 ΰΈΏ72.1
$3.24 NT$95.5
-31.17%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.31 ΰΈΏ625
$31.12 NT$918
-37.95%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.77 ΰΈΏ122
$7.99 NT$236
-52.82%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.05 ΰΈΏ422
$16.12 NT$476
-19.04%
Apples (1kg)
$3.28 ΰΈΏ106
$4.65 NT$137
-29.46%
Banana (1kg)
$1.63 ΰΈΏ52.6
$1.81 NT$53.4
-9.94%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.4 ΰΈΏ77.7
$2.19 NT$64.7
9.59%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.99 ΰΈΏ64.3
$2.97 NT$87.6
-33.00%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 ΰΈΏ49.62
$1.34 NT$39.66
14.18%
Onion (1kg)
$1.49 ΰΈΏ48.11
$1.94 NT$57.3
-23.20%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.02 ΰΈΏ32.87
$2.31 NT$68.1
-55.84%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48 ΰΈΏ15.61
$1.25 NT$36.88
-61.60%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.32 ΰΈΏ140
$4.06 NT$120
6.40%
Wine (Bottle)
$21.68 ΰΈΏ702
$13.99 NT$413
54.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 ΰΈΏ57.3
$1.72 NT$50.9
2.91%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.79 ΰΈΏ90.4
$2.65 NT$78.2
5.28%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Taichung
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.35 ΰΈΏ43.74
$0.92 NT$27.28
46.74%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.76 ΰΈΏ380
$28.28 NT$834
-58.42%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.15 ΰΈΏ102
$2.8 NT$82.6
12.50%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1 ΰΈΏ32.3
$1.23 NT$36.31
-18.70%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.64 ΰΈΏ442
$10.19 NT$301
33.86%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.3 ΰΈΏ42.2
$1 NT$29.62
30.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.4K ΰΈΏ885.2K
$34.5K NT$1M
-20.73%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.9K ΰΈΏ1.1M
$25.8K NT$762.5K
31.18%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Taichung
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$123 ΰΈΏ3,970
$97.5 NT$2,875
25.88%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.93 ΰΈΏ451
$24.72 NT$729
-43.65%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.24 ΰΈΏ590
$21.97 NT$648
-16.98%
πŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Taichung
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.8 ΰΈΏ1,966
$36.59 NT$1,079
66.03%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.11 ΰΈΏ554
$10.01 NT$295
70.93%
Cinema Ticket
$9.07 ΰΈΏ294
$10.55 NT$311
-14.03%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Taichung
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$694 ΰΈΏ22.5K
$353 NT$10.4K
96.40%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.9K ΰΈΏ514.4K
$20.4K NT$601K
-21.98%
πŸ‘•πŸ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Taichung
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.5 ΰΈΏ1,861
$84.9 NT$2,504
-32.25%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.51 ΰΈΏ1,117
$34.33 NT$1,013
0.52%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 ΰΈΏ3,727
$96.8 NT$2,856
18.94%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.8 ΰΈΏ2,743
$129 NT$3,817
-34.49%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Taichung
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$611 ΰΈΏ19.8K
$387 NT$11.4K
57.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$442 ΰΈΏ14.3K
$291 NT$8,573
52.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,014 ΰΈΏ65.2K
$1,018 NT$30K
97.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,460 ΰΈΏ47.2K
$733 NT$21.6K
99.11%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,244 ΰΈΏ137.3K
$7,529 NT$222.1K
-43.64%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,886 ΰΈΏ93.4K
$8,064 NT$237.9K
-64.21%
πŸ’΅ Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Taichung
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$697 ΰΈΏ22.5K
$1,461 NT$43.1K
-52.31%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.33
2.18
144.50%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 29, 2025

Last update for Taichung: October 28, 2025

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