Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Tottori

For one person, living costs are similar in Phuket and in Tottori: $1,208 and $1,174 a month, rent and utilities included.

Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,208
/mo nomad
Tottori
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,174
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Tottori

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Tottori actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,208 in Phuket versus $1,174 in Tottori.

  • Phuket $1,208
  • Tottori $1,174

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,027 in Phuket versus $1,879 in Tottori.

  • Phuket $2,027
  • Tottori $1,879

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,845 in Phuket versus $2,584 in Tottori.

  • Phuket $2,845
  • Tottori $2,584

Living in Phuket is roughly 3% more expensive than in Tottori, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 11% lower, Tottori 13% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Tottori
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.40 ฿147
$9.48 ¥1,498
-53.59%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.26 ฿1,078
$32.02 ¥5,059
0.75%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.76 ฿293
$4.97 ¥786
76.26%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿94.5
$3.25 ¥513
-12.92%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90 ฿30.14
$0.88 ¥139
2.27%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.47 ฿15.56
$0.74 ¥116
-36.49%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.55 ฿85.2
$3.06 ¥484
-16.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.83 ฿128
$5.70 ¥901
-32.81%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Tottori
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.73 ฿57.7
$1.51 ¥239
14.57%
White Bread (500g)
$1.47 ฿49.11
$1.00 ¥159
47.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 ฿50.6
$5.67 ¥895
-73.37%
Eggs
$2.17 ฿72.7
$2.05 ¥323
5.85%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.70 ฿658
$8.58 ¥1,356
129.60%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.34 ฿112
$7.17 ¥1,132
-53.42%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.16 ฿373
$11.67 ¥1,843
-4.37%
Apples (1kg)
$2.85 ฿95.1
$4.24 ¥670
-32.78%
Banana (1kg)
$1.70 ฿56.9
$2.23 ¥352
-23.77%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.19 ฿73.3
$4.60 ¥727
-52.39%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.05 ฿68.4
$3.36 ¥531
-38.99%
Potato (1kg)
$1.45 ฿48.57
$1.86 ¥294
-22.04%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.16
$1.66 ¥262
-16.87%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.69
$1.19 ¥188
-10.08%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 ฿16.91
$0.90 ¥142
-43.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26 ฿142
$3.77 ¥595
13.00%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.58 ฿621
$7.71 ¥1,217
140.99%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 ฿59.7
$1.62 ¥257
9.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.85 ฿95.2
$2.54 ¥401
12.20%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Tottori
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.26 ฿75.6
$1.08 ¥171
109.26%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.10 ฿738
$54.2 ¥8,556
-59.19%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.01 ฿101
$3.27 ¥517
-7.95%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.06 ฿35.34
$3.88 ¥614
-72.68%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.86 ฿129
$12.25 ¥1,936
-68.49%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ฿48.45
$1.05 ¥167
38.10%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.3K ฿879.9K
$20.9K ¥3.3M
25.75%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.9K ฿900.4K
$14.9K ¥2.3M
81.37%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Tottori
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,221
$102 ¥16.1K
-5.29%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.04 ฿369
$24.06 ¥3,801
-54.11%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.14 ฿573
$31.13 ¥4,918
-44.94%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Tottori
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.2 ฿1,744
$52.0 ¥8,209
0.42%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.16 ฿373
$12.73 ¥2,010
-12.33%
Cinema Ticket
$7.81 ฿261
$12.06 ¥1,905
-35.24%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Tottori
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$556 ฿18.6K
$322 ¥50.8K
72.91%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.6K ฿387.0K
$6,609 ¥1.0M
75.23%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Tottori
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$64.2 ฿2,146
$34.45 ¥5,442
86.36%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.69 ฿959
$23.36 ¥3,690
22.82%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$95.4 ฿3,187
$49.17 ¥7,768
93.94%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.0 ฿2,940
$96.0 ¥15.2K
-8.36%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Tottori
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$737 ฿24.6K
$272 ¥42.9K
171.31%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$462 ฿15.5K
$330 ¥52.2K
40.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,095 ฿70.0K
$1,117 ¥176.5K
87.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,201 ฿40.1K
$743 ¥117.4K
61.54%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,488 ฿116.6K
$4,580 ¥723.6K
-23.85%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,523 ฿84.3K
$1,833 ¥289.6K
37.62%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Tottori
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$501 ฿16.7K
-
-
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: October 19, 2026

Last update for Tottori: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$462
Tottori
$330 28.6% $132
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$269
Tottori
$275 2.5% $6.8
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$125
Tottori
$157 26% $32
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$124
Tottori
$91 26.5% $33
Eating Out
Phuket
$121
Tottori
$163 34.4% $42
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$68
Tottori
$76 12.2% $8.3
Getting Around
Phuket
$39
Tottori
$81 106% $42

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $737 in Phuket and $272 in Tottori. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $32.00 in Tottori for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $275 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇯🇵 Tottori
🕒 Local time
10:56 10:56 AM
12:56 12:56 PM
2 h ahead of Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
193,717
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

JPY, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Tottori 4,760 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Tottori

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 clothing. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,813 in Phuket and $1,761 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: $737 in Phuket versus $272 in Tottori. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $556 in Phuket versus $322 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?
Shoppers in Phuket pay roughly 3% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Tottori?
At $1,174 in Tottori versus $1,208 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 3% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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