😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,118 in Toyohashi.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,772 in Toyohashi.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $2,425 in Toyohashi.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 13% more expensive than Toyohashi, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket6% lower, Toyohashi17% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Toyohashi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70฿154
$6.77¥1,082
-30.58%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37฿1,483
$42.05¥6,726
7.90%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.43฿276
$5.44¥871
54.96%
Cappuccino
$2.93฿95.7
$3.04¥486
-3.62%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.42
$1.20¥192
-42.50%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿12.00
$0.81¥130
-54.32%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.41฿78.7
$2.12¥339
13.68%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿122
$3.08¥493
20.78%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Toyohashi
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.23฿73.0
$1.37¥219
62.77%
White Bread(500g)
$1.83฿59.9
$1.41¥225
29.79%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.17฿70.9
$2.05¥327
5.85%
Eggs
$2.21฿72.4
$1.47¥235
50.34%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.74฿645
$10.20¥1,632
93.53%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿119
$5.53¥885
-34.36%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.53฿442
$15.40¥2,463
-12.14%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28฿107
$2.06¥330
59.22%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61฿52.7
$1.06¥169
51.89%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿78.7
$3.92¥627
-38.52%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.1
$3.45¥552
-39.71%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿49.97
$1.37¥220
11.68%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.41
$1.42¥228
4.23%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99฿32.32
$0.67¥107
47.76%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.68
$0.58¥92.2
-12.07%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿144
$4.11¥658
7.30%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.38฿634
$9.56¥1,529
102.72%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$0.67¥107
165.67%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71฿88.7
$2.06¥329
31.55%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Toyohashi
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.37฿44.83
$1.61¥257
-14.91%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.39฿372
$55.1¥8,806
-79.31%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.02฿98.7
$3.40¥543
-11.18%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.99฿32.51
$2.91¥465
-65.98%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.10฿461
$22.23¥3,555
-36.57%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36฿44.55
$1.20¥191
13.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K฿921.9K
$23.4K¥3.7M
20.33%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$18.3K¥2.9M
79.82%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Toyohashi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,978
$106¥16.9K
15.26%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿444
$20.68¥3,307
-34.38%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31฿599
$34.29¥5,485
-46.60%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Toyohashi
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.2฿1,969
$55.9¥8,945
7.69%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14฿560
$14.09¥2,254
21.65%
Cinema Ticket
$8.69฿284
$13.48¥2,156
-35.53%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Toyohashi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$693฿22.7K
$280¥44.8K
147.36%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.7K฿512.8K
$13.7K¥2.2M
14.48%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Toyohashi
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,946
$42.09¥6,733
41.44%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77฿1,137
$20.43¥3,268
70.19%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,746
$55.6¥8,889
106.23%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3฿2,723
$105¥16.8K
-20.77%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Toyohashi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$613฿20.0K
$475¥75.9K
29.16%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437฿14.3K
$333¥53.3K
31.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,094฿68.5K
$852¥136.3K
145.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509฿49.3K
$653¥104.4K
131.20%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,749฿122.6K
$3,927¥628.1K
-4.53%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,616฿85.5K
$2,213¥354.0K
18.18%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Toyohashi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.6K
$1,286¥205.7K
-60.49%
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 Toyohashi: June 1, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $475 in Toyohashi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Toyohashi pays 153% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $42.00 in Toyohashi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $239 per month, with Toyohashi 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 Toyohashi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Toyohashi cheaper than Phuket?
Toyohashi is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Toyohashi?
On paper, Toyohashi earns 153% less. 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 Toyohashi?
Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $475 in Toyohashi. 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 $280 in Toyohashi. 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 Toyohashi?
Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for Phuket or Toyohashi?
At $1,118 in Toyohashi versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Toyohashi but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Toyohashi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Toyohashi more family-friendly?
For families, Toyohashi 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 Toyohashi?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Toyohashi 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 Toyohashi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.