Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Xiamen Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Xiamen

😐 Solo nomad: Phuket is 35.8% more expensive than Xiamen without rent, and 59.2% more expensive with rent.
😐 Family of 3: Phuket is 39% more expensive than Xiamen without rent, and 91.8% more expensive with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Xiamen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.65 ฿149
$2.87 ¥19.84
62.02%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.11 ฿1,474
$23.07 ¥159
99.87%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.74 ฿279
$5.62 ¥38.86
55.52%
Cappuccino
$3.04 ฿97.1
$2.86 ¥19.78
6.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72 ฿23.03
$0.51 ¥3.51
41.18%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39 ฿12.50
$0.29 ¥2.00
34.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.44 ฿78.0
$1.43 ¥9.87
70.63%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.79 ฿121
$3.58 ¥24.75
5.87%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Xiamen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.14 ฿68.6
$1.81 ¥12.48
18.23%
White Bread (500g)
$1.86 ฿59.5
$2.18 ¥15.08
-14.68%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.19 ฿69.9
$0.81 ¥5.62
170.37%
Eggs
$2.25 ฿71.8
$1.34 ¥9.27
67.91%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.73 ฿631
$11.18 ¥77.3
76.48%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.79 ฿121
$2.31 ¥15.94
64.07%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.55 ฿433
$11.18 ¥77.3
21.20%
Apples (1kg)
$3.25 ฿104
$2.36 ¥16.34
37.71%
Banana (1kg)
$1.67 ฿53.4
$1.35 ¥9.30
23.70%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.39 ฿76.5
$1.50 ¥10.39
59.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.09 ฿66.9
$1.86 ¥12.85
12.37%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 ฿48.88
$0.95 ¥6.59
61.05%
Onion (1kg)
$1.51 ฿48.27
$1.65 ¥11.38
-8.48%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.99 ฿31.62
$0.83 ¥5.72
19.28%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 ฿16.46
$0.51 ¥3.52
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27 ฿137
$2.76 ¥19.06
54.71%
Wine (Bottle)
$20.31 ฿649
$11.03 ¥76.2
84.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.79 ฿57.3
$0.80 ¥5.49
123.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 ฿88.5
$1.64 ¥11.35
68.90%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Xiamen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.40 ฿44.89
$0.20 ¥1.38
600.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.70 ฿374
$11.28 ¥78.0
3.72%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.11 ฿99.4
$1.42 ¥9.84
119.01%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.99 ฿31.80
$0.28 ¥1.96
253.57%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.73 ฿439
$6.86 ¥47.42
100.15%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.32 ฿42.17
$1.19 ¥8.20
10.92%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2K ฿870.7K
$16.3K ¥112.7K
67.05%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.1K ฿1.1M
$17.4K ¥120.5K
95.59%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Xiamen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$120 ฿3,849
$38.50 ¥266
212.73%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.93 ฿445
$10.05 ¥69.5
38.61%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31 ฿585
$9.40 ¥65.0
94.79%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Xiamen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.9 ฿1,948
$45.01 ¥311
35.37%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.23 ฿551
$9.52 ¥65.8
80.99%
Cinema Ticket
$8.71 ฿278
$9.29 ¥64.2
-6.24%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Xiamen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$698 ฿22.3K
$452 ¥3,124
54.39%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.7K ฿503.0K
$22.6K ¥156.5K
-30.51%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Xiamen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.6 ฿1,843
$43.49 ¥300
32.54%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.24 ฿1,095
$26.80 ¥185
27.76%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$113 ฿3,618
$84.4 ¥583
34.14%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.8 ฿2,711
$80.7 ¥558
5.08%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Xiamen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$604 ฿19.3K
$331 ¥2,290
82.21%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$436 ฿13.9K
$250 ¥1,724
74.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,057 ฿65.8K
$873 ¥6,030
135.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,498 ฿47.9K
$505 ¥3,487
196.90%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,252 ฿135.9K
$8,987 ¥62.1K
-52.68%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,988 ฿95.5K
$5,187 ¥35.8K
-42.40%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Xiamen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$529 ฿16.9K
$1,126 ¥7,782
-53.01%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.33
3.56
49.72%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Phuket: February 28, 2026

Last update for Xiamen: March 2, 2026

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated December 2025)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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