Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Toyama Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Toyama

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,188 in Toyama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,866 in Toyama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $2,543 in Toyama.

Living in Phuket is roughly 6% more expensive than Toyama, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Toyama 11% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Toyama
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70 ฿154
$5.71 ¥913
-17.69%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37 ฿1,483
$41.63 ¥6,659
8.98%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.43 ฿276
$4.24 ¥678
98.82%
Cappuccino
$2.93 ฿95.7
$3.07 ¥491
-4.56%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69 ฿22.42
$0.67 ¥108
2.99%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 ฿12.00
$0.64 ¥102
-42.19%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.41 ฿78.7
$2.13 ¥341
13.15%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72 ฿122
$2.04 ¥327
82.35%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Toyama
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.23 ฿73.0
$1.24 ¥198
79.84%
White Bread (500g)
$1.83 ฿59.9
$0.80 ¥127
128.75%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.17 ฿70.9
$4.99 ¥798
-56.51%
Eggs
$2.21 ฿72.4
$2.31 ¥370
-4.33%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.74 ฿645
$6.41 ¥1,025
207.96%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.63 ฿119
$3.51 ¥561
3.42%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.53 ฿442
$15.29 ¥2,446
-11.51%
Apples (1kg)
$3.28 ฿107
$5.88 ¥940
-44.22%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 ฿52.7
$3.14 ¥502
-48.73%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.41 ฿78.7
$3.97 ¥636
-39.29%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿68.1
$6.01 ¥962
-65.39%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 ฿49.97
$3.26 ¥521
-53.07%
Onion (1kg)
$1.48 ฿48.41
$4.35 ¥695
-65.98%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.99 ฿32.32
$1.35 ¥216
-26.67%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 ฿16.68
$0.63 ¥100
-19.05%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41 ฿144
$4.24 ¥679
4.01%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.38 ฿634
$9.29 ¥1,486
108.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 ฿58.1
$1.75 ¥281
1.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71 ฿88.7
$2.04 ¥327
32.84%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Toyama
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.37 ฿44.83
$1.39 ¥222
-1.44%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.39 ฿372
$56.4 ¥9,013
-79.79%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿98.7
$3.37 ¥540
-10.39%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.99 ฿32.51
$3.30 ¥527
-70.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.10 ฿461
$21.77 ¥3,482
-35.23%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.36 ฿44.55
$1.20 ¥193
13.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K ฿921.9K
$23.0K ¥3.7M
22.80%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K ฿1.1M
$18.3K ¥2.9M
80.07%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Toyama
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$122 ฿3,978
$145 ¥23.1K
-15.87%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57 ฿444
$27.48 ¥4,396
-50.62%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31 ฿599
$33.49 ¥5,356
-45.33%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Toyama
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.2 ฿1,969
$42.17 ¥6,746
42.80%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14 ฿560
$13.60 ¥2,175
26.03%
Cinema Ticket
$8.69 ฿284
$12.55 ¥2,008
-30.76%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Toyama
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$693 ฿22.7K
$137 ¥22.0K
404.79%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.7K ฿512.8K
$13.7K ¥2.2M
14.52%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Toyama
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5 ฿1,946
$42.39 ¥6,781
40.43%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77 ฿1,137
$29.83 ¥4,771
16.56%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 ฿3,746
$60.1 ¥9,610
90.75%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3 ฿2,723
$110 ¥17.5K
-24.01%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Toyama
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$613 ฿20.0K
$262 ¥41.9K
134.08%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$437 ฿14.3K
$343 ¥54.9K
27.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,094 ฿68.5K
$704 ¥112.6K
197.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,509 ฿49.3K
$655 ¥104.7K
130.51%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,749 ฿122.6K
$4,182 ¥669.0K
-10.35%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,616 ฿85.5K
$2,569 ¥410.9K
1.81%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Toyama
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$508 ฿16.6K
-
-
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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Toyama: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $262 in Toyama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $42.00 in Toyama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 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 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $1,783 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: $613 in Phuket versus $262 in Toyama. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $137 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 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 Phuket or Toyama?
At $1,188 in Toyama versus $1,265 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 6% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Phuket vs other spots: cost of living compared

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