😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,253 in Phuket versus $1,162 in Toyonaka.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,043 in Phuket versus $1,838 in Toyonaka.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Phuket versus $2,513 in Toyonaka.
🌍Living in Phuket is roughly 8% more expensive than in Toyonaka, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket9% lower, Toyonaka15% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Toyonaka
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.56฿150
$6.17¥964
-26.09%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.62฿1,072
$31.10¥4,858
4.89%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.90฿293
$4.80¥749
85.42%
Cappuccino
$2.80฿92.2
$2.34¥366
19.66%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88฿28.93
$1.25¥195
-29.60%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.08
$0.73¥113
-32.88%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.39฿78.5
$2.59¥404
-7.72%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.71฿122
$3.14¥491
18.15%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Toyonaka
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.79฿58.7
$1.43¥223
25.17%
White Bread(500g)
$1.44฿47.38
$1.28¥199
12.50%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.58฿52.1
$4.22¥660
-62.56%
Eggs
$2.13฿69.9
$2.08¥325
2.40%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.92฿655
$9.59¥1,498
107.72%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.43฿113
$6.74¥1,053
-49.11%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.33฿372
$17.30¥2,703
-34.51%
Apples(1kg)
$2.95฿96.9
$3.25¥508
-9.23%
Banana(1kg)
$1.72฿56.6
$1.90¥297
-9.47%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.32฿76.4
$2.08¥325
11.54%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.4
$3.87¥605
-46.25%
Potato(1kg)
$1.47฿48.33
$1.49¥232
-1.34%
Onion(1kg)
$1.36฿44.64
$1.17¥182
16.24%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.10฿36.12
$1.16¥181
-5.17%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.57฿18.89
$0.84¥131
-32.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27฿140
$3.86¥603
10.62%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.42฿605
$9.43¥1,473
95.33%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.87฿61.5
$1.87¥293
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.92฿96.0
$2.13¥332
37.09%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Toyonaka
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.22฿72.9
$1.30¥204
70.77%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$22.90฿753
$60.3¥9,415
-62.00%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.03฿99.6
$3.19¥499
-5.02%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.07฿35.31
$2.90¥453
-63.10%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.93฿129
$15.58¥2,435
-74.78%
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
$21.3K¥3.3M
27.57%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.5K฿902.3K
$15.1K¥2.4M
81.66%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Toyonaka
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$103฿3,379
$115¥17.9K
-10.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.99฿361
$23.04¥3,600
-52.30%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.51฿576
$30.47¥4,760
-42.53%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Toyonaka
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$53.5฿1,760
$44.94¥7,020
19.11%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.20฿368
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.48฿246
$11.44¥1,787
-34.62%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Toyonaka
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$557฿18.3K
$508¥79.3K
9.67%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.9K฿389.6K
$12.8K¥2.0M
-7.46%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Toyonaka
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$64.1฿2,106
$44.12¥6,893
45.22%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.07฿956
$30.28¥4,730
-4.00%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$96.0฿3,154
$61.2¥9,552
56.93%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.3฿2,970
$91.4¥14.3K
-1.15%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Toyonaka
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$730฿24.0K
$494¥77.2K
47.80%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$500฿16.4K
$329¥51.5K
51.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,090฿68.7K
$1,059¥165.4K
97.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209฿39.7K
$694¥108.4K
74.32%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,596฿118.2K
$4,717¥736.9K
-23.76%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,512฿82.6K
$2,039¥318.5K
23.25%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Toyonaka
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$503฿16.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
1.66
235.54%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026
Last update for Toyonaka: August 29, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $730 in Phuket and $494 in Toyonaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $33.00 in Phuket vs $31.00 in Toyonaka. Groceries flip the comparison at $273 vs $276, 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 Toyonaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Toyonaka cheaper than Phuket?
Toyonaka is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 8% 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 $1,743 in Toyonaka 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 Toyonaka?
Rent for a central apartment: $730 in Phuket versus $494 in Toyonaka. 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 $508 in Toyonaka. 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 Toyonaka?
Shoppers in Phuket pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Toyonaka?
At $1,162 in Toyonaka versus $1,253 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Toyonaka but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Toyonaka the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Toyonaka more family-friendly?
For families, Toyonaka 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 Toyonaka?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Toyonaka 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 Toyonaka gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.