😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,243 in Amagasaki versus $1,232 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,961 in Amagasaki versus $2,255 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,680 in Amagasaki versus $3,279 in Phuket.
😐Living in Amagasaki is roughly 1% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Amagasaki7% lower, Phuket8% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Amagasaki
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.01¥1,122
$4.63฿151
51.40%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$34.19¥5,473
$46.84฿1,532
-27.01%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.29¥847
$8.84฿289
-40.16%
Cappuccino
$3.13¥502
$3.00฿98.0
4.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.05¥168
$0.74฿24.25
41.89%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.81¥130
$0.37฿11.95
118.92%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.62¥419
$2.44฿79.8
7.38%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.17¥508
$3.61฿118
-12.19%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Amagasaki
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.54¥247
$2.26฿73.9
-31.86%
White Bread(500g)
$1.55¥248
$1.84฿60.1
-15.76%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$4.84¥775
$2.24฿73.4
116.07%
Eggs
$2.21¥353
$2.32฿75.7
-4.74%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.15¥1,625
$19.67฿643
-48.40%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.22¥996
$3.65฿119
70.41%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.38¥2,462
$13.10฿428
17.40%
Apples(1kg)
$5.43¥870
$3.39฿111
60.18%
Banana(1kg)
$2.63¥421
$1.64฿53.7
60.37%
Oranges(1kg)
$4.08¥653
$2.41฿79.0
69.29%
Tomato(1kg)
$5.95¥953
$2.03฿66.4
193.10%
Potato(1kg)
$3.17¥508
$1.56฿50.9
103.21%
Onion(1kg)
$2.61¥417
$1.50฿48.94
74.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.38¥220
$1.02฿33.50
35.29%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.90¥144
$0.49฿16.00
83.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.28¥686
$4.45฿145
-3.82%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.06¥1,289
$18.88฿617
-57.31%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.83¥292
$1.78฿58.1
2.81%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.27¥363
$2.75฿90.1
-17.45%
🚌 Getting Around
Amagasaki
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.65¥264
$1.40฿45.81
17.86%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$56.2¥8,989
$11.48฿376
389.11%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.49¥558
$3.12฿102
11.86%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.98¥477
$1.00฿32.67
198.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$21.00¥3,361
$14.09฿461
49.04%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.23¥196
$1.35฿44.19
-8.89%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.6K¥3.8M
$27.2K฿888.9K
-13.09%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$17.2K¥2.8M
$32.9K฿1.1M
-47.65%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Amagasaki
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$141¥22.6K
$125฿4,087
13.16%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.60¥4,418
$13.57฿444
103.39%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.23¥5,479
$18.52฿606
84.83%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Amagasaki
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$56.1¥8,979
$61.5฿2,010
-8.77%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.00¥2,241
$16.84฿551
-16.86%
Cinema Ticket
$12.61¥2,018
$9.19฿300
37.21%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Amagasaki
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$279¥44.6K
$698฿22.8K
-60.07%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$13.5K¥2.2M
$15.6K฿509.9K
-13.20%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Amagasaki
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.57¥6,975
$57.8฿1,889
-24.57%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.71¥4,756
$35.24฿1,152
-15.69%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$60.1¥9,628
$113฿3,699
-46.83%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$91.2¥14.6K
$86.4฿2,825
5.60%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Amagasaki
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$463¥74.2K
$616฿20.1K
-24.79%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$330¥52.8K
$446฿14.6K
-26.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$856¥137.1K
$2,048฿67.0K
-58.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$663¥106.1K
$1,492฿48.8K
-55.58%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,646¥743.7K
$3,779฿123.6K
22.96%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,649฿86.6K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Amagasaki
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,944¥471.2K
$524฿17.1K
461.96%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
1.78
5.33
-66.60%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Amagasaki: April 28, 2026
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $463 in Amagasaki and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Amagasaki pays 462% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $34.00 in Amagasaki vs $47.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $317 vs $292, 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
Amagasaki vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Amagasaki and Phuket?
Amagasaki and Phuket differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($1,243 vs $1,232 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Amagasaki or Phuket?
Amagasaki pays 462% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Amagasaki and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $463 in Amagasaki versus $616 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Amagasaki. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $34.00 in Amagasaki. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,243 in Amagasaki, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Amagasaki. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Amagasaki and Phuket?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Amagasaki or Phuket safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Amagasaki 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.
Where should expats move: Amagasaki or Phuket?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Amagasaki. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.