😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,249 in Takamatsu.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,929 in Takamatsu.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $2,609 in Takamatsu.
🌍Monthly costs are close between Phuket and Takamatsu; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket6% lower, Takamatsu6% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Takamatsu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.55฿153
$6.94¥1,128
-34.44%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.18฿1,553
$34.60¥5,621
33.47%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿297
$5.24¥851
68.70%
Cappuccino
$3.06฿103
$3.09¥501
-0.97%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73฿24.40
$1.06¥171
-31.13%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40฿13.39
$0.76¥124
-47.37%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.43฿81.8
$2.59¥420
-6.18%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78฿127
$3.10¥504
21.94%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Takamatsu
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿76.0
$1.64¥266
37.80%
White Bread(500g)
$1.81฿60.9
$1.59¥259
13.84%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.25฿75.8
$1.96¥318
14.80%
Eggs
$2.25฿75.5
$2.46¥400
-8.54%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.51฿656
$10.07¥1,636
93.74%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿123
$6.30¥1,024
-42.06%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.05฿439
$15.72¥2,554
-16.98%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23฿109
$5.31¥863
-39.17%
Banana(1kg)
$1.62฿54.4
$2.60¥422
-37.69%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.38฿80.1
$3.94¥640
-39.59%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿68.1
$5.84¥948
-65.24%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿51.6
$3.05¥496
-49.84%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿50.5
$2.56¥417
-41.41%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.98฿32.91
$1.38¥225
-28.99%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52฿17.39
$0.89¥144
-41.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.44฿149
$4.13¥671
7.51%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.32฿616
$7.94¥1,289
130.73%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86฿62.7
$1.89¥307
-1.59%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68฿90.1
$2.24¥364
19.64%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Takamatsu
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.41฿47.46
$1.67¥271
-15.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.70฿393
$55.9¥9,081
-79.07%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.11฿105
$3.49¥568
-10.89%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿35.06
$3.00¥488
-65.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.11฿474
$21.05¥3,420
-32.97%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31฿44.10
$1.18¥191
11.02%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K฿935.4K
$22.8K¥3.7M
21.85%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.2K฿1.1M
$17.2K¥2.8M
92.63%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Takamatsu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿4,118
$144¥23.4K
-15.13%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.59฿457
$27.09¥4,401
-49.83%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.70฿629
$33.52¥5,446
-44.21%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Takamatsu
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.5฿2,034
$55.5¥9,009
9.09%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.98฿571
$13.63¥2,215
24.58%
Cinema Ticket
$9.07฿305
$12.26¥1,992
-26.02%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Takamatsu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$706฿23.8K
$285¥46.3K
148.02%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.8K฿531.5K
$13.2K¥2.1M
19.73%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Takamatsu
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.6฿1,969
$42.93¥6,975
36.38%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.36฿1,189
$29.82¥4,845
18.58%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,883
$59.8¥9,709
93.24%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.7฿2,816
$92.2¥15.0K
-9.17%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Takamatsu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$626฿21.0K
$466¥75.8K
34.17%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$445฿15.0K
$330¥53.5K
35.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,040฿68.6K
$856¥139.1K
138.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿50.2K
$647¥105.2K
130.49%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,483฿117.1K
$3,934¥639.2K
-11.47%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,577฿86.7K
$1,997¥324.5K
29.00%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Takamatsu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$500฿16.8K
$1,719¥279.2K
-70.92%
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 Takamatsu: July 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $466 in Takamatsu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Takamatsu pays 244% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.
🛒Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $35.00 in Takamatsu. Groceries flip the comparison at $289 vs $306, with Phuket cheaper for home cooking.
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 Takamatsu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Takamatsu?
On paper, salaries run 244% lower in Takamatsu. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Takamatsu?
Rent for a central apartment: $626 in Phuket versus $466 in Takamatsu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $285 in Takamatsu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or in Takamatsu?
Dining out is cheaper in Takamatsu – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Takamatsu?
At $1,249 in Takamatsu versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Takamatsu but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Takamatsu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Takamatsu more family-friendly?
For families, Takamatsu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Takamatsu?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Takamatsu are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
It comes down to priorities – Takamatsu wins on affordability, Phuket on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.