Cost of Living Comparison Between Qingdao, Shandong and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Qingdao, Shandong and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $757 in Qingdao, Shandong versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,230 in Qingdao, Shandong versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,702 in Qingdao, Shandong versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Qingdao, Shandong costs roughly 39% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Qingdao, Shandong 43% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.30 ¥22.35

$4.55 ฿153

-27.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.32 ¥124

$46.18 ฿1,554

-60.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.55 ¥30.78

$8.84 ฿298

-48.53%

Cappuccino

$3.30 ¥22.35

$3.06 ฿103

7.84%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 ¥3.66

$0.73 ฿24.42

-26.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ¥2.12

$0.40 ฿13.40

-22.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.83 ¥5.59

$2.43 ฿81.8

-65.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 ¥14.55

$3.78 ฿127

-43.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ¥12.86

$2.26 ฿76.0

-15.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ¥9.94

$1.81 ฿60.9

-18.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 ¥6.07

$2.25 ฿75.8

-60.00%

Eggs

$1.88 ¥12.73

$2.25 ฿75.6

-16.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.07 ¥102

$19.51 ฿656

-22.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.13 ¥27.95

$3.65 ฿123

13.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.18 ¥68.9

$13.05 ฿439

-21.99%

Apples (1kg)

$1.39 ¥9.38

$3.23 ฿109

-56.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ¥8.18

$1.62 ฿54.4

-25.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 ¥13.46

$2.38 ฿80.2

-16.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 ¥7.06

$2.03 ฿68.2

-48.77%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 ¥4.96

$1.53 ฿51.6

-52.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 ¥7.59

$1.50 ฿50.5

-25.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ¥6.86

$0.98 ฿32.93

3.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 ¥3.19

$0.52 ฿17.40

-9.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.95 ¥26.75

$4.44 ฿149

-11.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.71 ¥99.5

$18.32 ฿616

-19.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ¥6.74

$1.86 ฿62.7

-46.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 ¥10.43

$2.68 ฿90.2

-42.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 ¥2.03

$1.41 ฿47.49

-78.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.55 ¥112

$11.70 ฿394

41.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 ¥9.31

$3.11 ฿105

-55.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 ¥2.13

$1.04 ฿35.08

-70.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.37 ¥49.90

$14.11 ฿475

-47.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ¥7.59

$1.31 ฿44.13

-14.50%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$20.5K ¥138.9K

$27.8K ฿936.0K

-26.21%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$13.1K ¥88.7K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-60.53%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$52.2 ¥353

$122 ฿4,120

-57.37%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$10.88 ¥73.6

$13.59 ฿457

-19.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.33 ¥69.9

$18.70 ฿629

-44.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.33 ¥178

$60.5 ฿2,035

-56.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.12 ¥143

$16.98 ฿572

24.38%

Cinema Ticket

$7.16 ¥48.48

$9.07 ฿305

-21.06%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$329 ¥2,229

$706 ฿23.8K

-53.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.7K ¥167.5K

$15.8K ฿531.8K

56.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.8 ¥526

$58.6 ฿1,970

32.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.58 ¥261

$35.36 ฿1,190

9.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.1 ¥549

$115 ฿3,885

-29.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.1 ¥671

$83.7 ฿2,818

18.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$342 ¥2,316

$626 ฿21.1K

-45.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$195 ¥1,320

$445 ฿15.0K

-56.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$746 ¥5,046

$2,040 ฿68.7K

-63.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$421 ¥2,848

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-71.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,473 ¥23.5K

$3,483 ฿117.2K

-0.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,133 ¥14.4K

$2,577 ฿86.7K

-17.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,193 ¥8,077

$500 ฿16.8K

138.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

5.33

-28.52%

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

Last update for Qingdao, Shandong: July 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $342 in Qingdao, Shandong and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Qingdao, Shandong pays 139% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $18.00 in Qingdao, Shandong vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $220 vs $289 per month, with Qingdao, Shandong 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

Qingdao, Shandong vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Qingdao, Shandong is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 65% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 139% higher in Qingdao, Shandong, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $342 in Qingdao, Shandong versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $329 in Qingdao, Shandong versus $706 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 31% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $757 in Qingdao, Shandong versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Qingdao, Shandong but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Qingdao, Shandong the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Qingdao, Shandong 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.

Safety-wise, Qingdao, Shandong and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Qingdao, Shandong gentler on the wallet – expenses run 65% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.