🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $714 in Xiangyang versus $1,270 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,142 in Xiangyang versus $2,304 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,570 in Xiangyang versus $3,339 in Phuket.
🙂Living in Xiangyang costs roughly 44% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Xiangyang47% lower, Phuket5% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Xiangyang
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.82¥19.31
$4.66฿150
-39.48%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$21.19¥145
$46.44฿1,490
-54.37%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.74¥32.40
$8.68฿278
-45.39%
Cappuccino
$3.09¥21.17
$2.95฿94.6
4.75%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.47¥3.23
$0.70฿22.43
-32.86%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.27¥1.84
$0.39฿12.65
-30.77%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$0.88¥6.05
$2.53฿81.3
-65.22%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.06¥14.07
$3.78฿121
-45.50%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Xiangyang
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.78¥12.21
$2.22฿71.2
-19.82%
White Bread(500g)
$1.60¥10.94
$1.80฿57.6
-11.11%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.97¥6.62
$2.19฿70.1
-55.71%
Eggs
$1.54¥10.57
$2.31฿74.2
-33.33%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.61¥86.3
$19.34฿621
-34.80%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.26¥22.29
$3.77฿121
-13.53%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.20¥69.8
$13.22฿424
-22.84%
Apples(1kg)
$1.87¥12.80
$3.33฿107
-43.84%
Banana(1kg)
$1.20¥8.18
$1.65฿52.9
-27.27%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.49¥10.21
$2.29฿73.4
-34.93%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.11¥7.58
$1.99฿63.8
-44.22%
Potato(1kg)
$0.71¥4.85
$1.53฿49.04
-53.59%
Onion(1kg)
$0.91¥6.25
$1.51฿48.57
-39.74%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.57¥3.90
$1.03฿32.98
-44.66%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51¥3.52
$0.51฿16.50
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.06¥20.96
$4.41฿141
-30.61%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.59¥72.4
$19.41฿623
-45.44%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.75¥5.15
$1.80฿57.7
-58.33%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.59¥10.88
$2.68฿86.0
-40.67%
🚌 Getting Around
Xiangyang
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.29¥2.00
$1.43฿45.93
-79.72%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$16.79¥115
$11.70฿375
43.50%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.43¥9.76
$3.04฿97.5
-52.96%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.33¥2.24
$1.04฿33.24
-68.27%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$6.84¥46.79
$13.68฿439
-50.00%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.12¥7.68
$1.30฿41.68
-13.85%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.1K¥130.8K
$27.9K฿895.3K
-31.44%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$17.4K¥118.7K
$33.0K฿1.1M
-47.47%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Xiangyang
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$45.52¥311
$123฿3,946
-62.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.94¥68.0
$13.82฿443
-28.08%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$11.65¥79.7
$18.86฿605
-38.23%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Xiangyang
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$41.03¥281
$61.2฿1,962
-32.90%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.01¥95.8
$16.81฿539
-16.66%
Cinema Ticket
$5.75¥39.31
$8.87฿285
-35.17%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Xiangyang
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$335¥2,288
$696฿22.3K
-51.97%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$17.1K¥117.2K
$16.1K฿515.3K
6.74%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Xiangyang
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.65¥299
$59.3฿1,902
-26.37%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.74¥210
$34.85฿1,118
-11.79%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$71.0¥486
$113฿3,632
-37.23%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$72.4¥496
$85.1฿2,729
-14.83%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Xiangyang
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$278¥1,903
$615฿19.8K
-54.80%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$191¥1,304
$448฿14.4K
-57.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$599¥4,098
$2,085฿66.9K
-71.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$364¥2,487
$1,496฿48.0K
-75.70%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,068¥21.0K
$3,734฿119.8K
-17.84%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,025¥13.9K
$2,662฿85.4K
-23.93%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Xiangyang
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$534฿17.1K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.89
5.33
-27.02%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Xiangyang: April 20, 2026
Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $278 in Xiangyang and $615 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $21 in Xiangyang vs $46 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $197 vs $291 per month, with Xiangyang 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
Xiangyang vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Xiangyang?
Xiangyang is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 78% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,071 in Xiangyang and $1,904 in Phuket 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 Xiangyang and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $278 in Xiangyang versus $615 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $335 in Xiangyang versus $696 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Xiangyang and Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 48% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Xiangyang or Phuket?
At $714 in Xiangyang versus $1,270 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Xiangyang but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Xiangyang the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Xiangyang or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Xiangyang 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, Xiangyang or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Xiangyang 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Xiangyang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 78% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.