Cost of Living Comparison Between Zhanjiang and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Zhanjiang and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $730 in Zhanjiang versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,129 in Zhanjiang versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,528 in Zhanjiang versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Zhanjiang costs roughly 42% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Zhanjiang 45% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.72 ¥18.40

$4.55 ฿153

-40.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.15 ¥116

$46.18 ฿1,553

-62.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.54 ¥37.42

$8.84 ฿297

-37.33%

Cappuccino

$3.47 ¥23.44

$3.06 ฿103

13.40%

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

$0.44 ¥2.94

$0.73 ฿24.40

-39.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.99

$0.40 ฿13.39

-27.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.93 ¥6.26

$2.43 ฿81.8

-61.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 ¥14.03

$3.78 ฿127

-44.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 ¥12.37

$2.26 ฿76.0

-19.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 ¥10.30

$1.81 ฿60.9

-16.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 ¥6.13

$2.25 ฿75.8

-59.56%

Eggs

$1.24 ¥8.36

$2.25 ฿75.5

-44.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.79 ¥86.5

$19.51 ฿656

-34.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ¥20.73

$3.65 ฿123

-15.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.35 ¥70.0

$13.05 ฿439

-20.69%

Apples (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.82

$3.23 ฿109

-45.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 ¥8.53

$1.62 ฿54.4

-22.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.41 ¥9.50

$2.38 ฿80.1

-40.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 ¥9.13

$2.03 ฿68.1

-33.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ¥4.56

$1.53 ฿51.6

-56.21%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.26

$1.50 ฿50.5

-38.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 ¥3.76

$0.98 ฿32.91

-42.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ¥3.50

$0.52 ฿17.39

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.16 ¥21.38

$4.44 ฿149

-28.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.09 ¥74.9

$18.32 ฿616

-39.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥5.39

$1.86 ฿62.7

-56.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ¥10.62

$2.68 ฿90.1

-41.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ¥1.97

$1.41 ฿47.46

-79.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.46 ¥111

$11.70 ฿393

40.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 ¥9.65

$3.11 ฿105

-54.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ¥2.20

$1.04 ฿35.06

-68.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.78 ¥45.81

$14.11 ฿474

-51.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ¥7.55

$1.31 ฿44.10

-14.50%

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

$19.2K ¥129.7K

$27.8K ฿935.4K

-31.00%

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

$16.8K ¥113.6K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-49.37%

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

$46.55 ¥315

$122 ฿4,118

-61.98%

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

$9.62 ¥65.0

$13.59 ฿457

-29.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.34 ¥76.6

$18.70 ฿629

-39.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.99 ¥277

$60.5 ฿2,034

-32.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.90 ¥93.9

$16.98 ฿571

-18.14%

Cinema Ticket

$6.41 ¥43.29

$9.07 ฿305

-29.33%

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

$341 ¥2,305

$706 ฿23.8K

-51.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K ¥115.1K

$15.8K ฿531.5K

7.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.14 ¥298

$58.6 ฿1,969

-24.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.79 ¥208

$35.36 ฿1,189

-12.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.0 ¥486

$115 ฿3,883

-37.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.9 ¥499

$83.7 ฿2,816

-11.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$274 ¥1,850

$626 ฿21.0K

-56.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$185 ¥1,253

$445 ฿15.0K

-58.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$597 ¥4,033

$2,040 ฿68.6K

-70.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$358 ¥2,417

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-76.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,501 ¥23.7K

$3,483 ฿117.1K

0.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,783 ¥12.1K

$2,577 ฿86.7K

-30.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.87

5.33

-27.39%

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

Last update for Zhanjiang: July 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $274 in Zhanjiang and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $17.00 in Zhanjiang vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $197 vs $289 per month, with Zhanjiang 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

Zhanjiang vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zhanjiang is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 71% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,095 in Zhanjiang and $1,875 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $274 in Zhanjiang versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $341 in Zhanjiang 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 47% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $730 in Zhanjiang versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Zhanjiang but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Zhanjiang the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Zhanjiang 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, Zhanjiang 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 Zhanjiang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 71% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.