Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and TottoriCost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Tottori
Monthly Cost of Living
😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,253 in Phuket versus $1,199 in Tottori.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,043 in Phuket versus $1,911 in Tottori.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Phuket versus $2,623 in Tottori.
🌍Living in Phuket is roughly 5% more expensive than in Tottori, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket9% lower, Tottori13% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Tottori
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.56฿150
$9.30¥1,453
-50.97%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.62฿1,072
$31.73¥4,958
2.80%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.90฿293
$5.12¥800
73.83%
Cappuccino
$2.80฿92.2
$3.25¥507
-13.85%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88฿28.93
$0.82¥128
7.32%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.08
$0.74¥115
-33.78%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.39฿78.5
$3.21¥502
-25.55%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.71฿122
$5.79¥905
-35.92%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Tottori
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.79฿58.7
$1.48¥231
20.95%
White Bread(500g)
$1.44฿47.38
$1.10¥171
30.91%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.58฿52.1
$5.65¥883
-72.04%
Eggs
$2.13฿69.9
$1.96¥306
8.67%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.92฿655
$8.64¥1,351
130.56%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.43฿113
$6.10¥953
-43.77%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.33฿372
$11.28¥1,761
0.44%
Apples(1kg)
$2.95฿96.9
$4.64¥725
-36.42%
Banana(1kg)
$1.72฿56.6
$2.23¥349
-22.87%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.32฿76.4
$5.03¥786
-53.88%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.4
$3.45¥538
-39.71%
Potato(1kg)
$1.47฿48.33
$1.89¥296
-22.22%
Onion(1kg)
$1.36฿44.64
$1.71¥267
-20.47%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.10฿36.12
$1.18¥185
-6.78%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.57฿18.89
$0.90¥140
-36.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27฿140
$3.81¥596
12.07%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.42฿605
$7.40¥1,156
148.92%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.87฿61.5
$1.53¥240
22.22%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.92฿96.0
$2.52¥394
15.87%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Tottori
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.22฿72.9
$1.43¥224
55.24%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$22.90฿753
$56.5¥8,829
-59.48%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.03฿99.6
$3.26¥510
-7.06%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.07฿35.31
$3.85¥601
-72.21%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.93฿129
$16.12¥2,519
-75.62%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.49฿49.04
$1.09¥171
36.70%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.1K฿891.7K
$20.7K¥3.2M
31.09%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.5K฿902.3K
$15.2K¥2.4M
80.80%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Tottori
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$103฿3,379
$99.8¥15.6K
3.04%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.99฿361
$23.34¥3,646
-52.91%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.51฿576
$28.87¥4,509
-39.35%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Tottori
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$53.5฿1,760
$49.69¥7,762
7.73%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.20฿368
$12.32¥1,924
-9.09%
Cinema Ticket
$7.48฿246
$12.08¥1,887
-38.08%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Tottori
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$557฿18.3K
$307¥47.9K
81.61%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.9K฿389.6K
$6,601¥1.0M
79.57%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Tottori
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$64.1฿2,106
$45.69¥7,138
40.23%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.07฿956
$30.21¥4,719
-3.77%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$96.0฿3,154
$63.4¥9,896
51.48%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.3฿2,970
$95.3¥14.9K
-5.18%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Tottori
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$730฿24.0K
$275¥42.9K
165.71%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$500฿16.4K
$322¥50.3K
55.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,090฿68.7K
$1,077¥168.3K
94.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209฿39.7K
$720¥112.5K
67.94%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,596฿118.2K
$4,896¥764.9K
-26.56%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,512฿82.6K
$1,770¥276.5K
41.94%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Tottori
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$503฿16.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
1.74
220.11%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026
Last update for Tottori: August 30, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $730 in Phuket and $275 in Tottori. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $33.00 in Phuket vs $32.00 in Tottori. Groceries flip the comparison at $273 vs $273, 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 Tottori: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tottori cheaper than Phuket?
Tottori is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,880 in Phuket and $1,798 in Tottori to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Tottori?
Rent for a central apartment: $730 in Phuket versus $275 in Tottori. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $557 in Phuket versus $307 in Tottori. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and in Tottori?
Supermarket bills run roughly 0% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Tottori?
At $1,199 in Tottori versus $1,253 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Tottori but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Tottori the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Tottori more family-friendly?
For families, Tottori 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 Tottori?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Tottori 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 easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Tottori gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.