Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and ToyamaCost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Toyama
Monthly Cost of Living
😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,234 in Toyama.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,276 in Phuket versus $1,900 in Toyama.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,291 in Phuket versus $2,567 in Toyama.
🌍Living in Phuket is roughly 2% more expensive than in Toyama, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket6% lower, Toyama8% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Toyama
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.53฿153
$5.67¥926
-20.11%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.36฿1,563
$41.20¥6,724
12.52%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.65฿292
$4.08¥666
112.01%
Cappuccino
$3.09฿104
$3.18¥518
-2.83%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.68฿22.86
$0.72¥117
-5.56%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿12.42
$0.60¥97.8
-38.33%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.42฿81.5
$2.03¥331
19.21%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.81฿128
$2.11¥344
80.57%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Toyama
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.18฿73.4
$1.22¥199
78.69%
White Bread(500g)
$1.82฿61.3
$0.84¥138
116.67%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.18฿73.4
$4.92¥803
-55.69%
Eggs
$2.24฿75.4
$2.18¥357
2.75%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.93฿672
$6.18¥1,009
222.49%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.64฿123
$3.48¥569
4.60%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.56฿457
$15.38¥2,510
-11.83%
Apples(1kg)
$3.29฿111
$5.94¥970
-44.61%
Banana(1kg)
$1.69฿56.8
$3.20¥522
-47.19%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.33฿78.7
$3.98¥649
-41.46%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿68.3
$6.01¥980
-66.22%
Potato(1kg)
$1.60฿53.9
$3.27¥534
-51.07%
Onion(1kg)
$1.49฿50.4
$4.30¥701
-65.35%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.01฿34.13
$1.38¥225
-26.81%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48฿16.07
$0.63¥102
-23.81%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45฿150
$4.18¥682
6.46%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.63฿628
$9.30¥1,518
100.32%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.79฿60.2
$1.74¥285
2.87%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.80฿94.3
$2.03¥331
37.93%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Toyama
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.42฿47.84
$1.38¥226
2.90%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.33฿382
$54.5¥8,892
-79.21%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.09฿104
$3.37¥550
-8.31%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿35.15
$3.27¥534
-68.20%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.63฿459
$21.94¥3,580
-37.88%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31฿44.18
$1.21¥198
8.26%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.3K฿919.6K
$23.4K¥3.8M
16.59%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.2K฿1.1M
$18.2K¥3.0M
82.99%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Toyama
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$123฿4,152
$142¥23.1K
-13.00%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.81฿465
$27.43¥4,477
-49.65%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52฿624
$34.03¥5,553
-45.58%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Toyama
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.4฿2,035
$41.93¥6,843
43.95%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.80฿566
$14.00¥2,284
20.00%
Cinema Ticket
$8.89฿300
$12.30¥2,007
-27.72%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Toyama
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$687฿23.1K
$139¥22.7K
394.33%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6K฿524.2K
$13.9K¥2.3M
12.25%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Toyama
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.6฿1,943
$41.09¥6,706
40.25%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.66฿1,168
$29.09¥4,747
19.15%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,874
$59.0¥9,633
94.68%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.9฿2,862
$109¥17.8K
-22.38%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Toyama
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$618฿20.8K
$259¥42.3K
138.07%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$443฿14.9K
$347¥56.6K
27.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,047฿69.0K
$698¥113.8K
193.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,506฿50.8K
$665¥108.5K
126.50%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,568฿120.3K
$4,665¥761.3K
-23.51%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,511฿84.6K
$2,002¥326.7K
25.41%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Toyama
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$503฿16.9K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
2.05
160.00%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: July 20, 2026
Last update for Toyama: July 19, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $618 in Phuket and $259 in Toyama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $41.00 in Toyama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $289 per month, with Toyama cheaper across the board.
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 Toyama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Toyama cheaper than Phuket?
Toyama is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,891 in Phuket and $1,850 in Toyama 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 Toyama?
Rent for a central apartment: $618 in Phuket versus $259 in Toyama. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $687 in Phuket versus $139 in Toyama. 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 Toyama?
Supermarket bills run roughly 1% 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 Toyama?
At $1,234 in Toyama versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Toyama but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Toyama the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Toyama more family-friendly?
For families, Toyama 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 Toyama?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Toyama 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 Toyama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.