🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,219 in Amagasaki versus $1,232 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,922 in Amagasaki versus $2,054 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,626 in Amagasaki versus $2,876 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Amagasaki costs roughly 1% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Amagasaki11% lower, Phuket10% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Amagasaki
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.54¥1,022
$4.41฿147
48.30%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$36.57¥5,711
$32.26฿1,073
13.36%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.86¥759
$8.93฿297
-45.58%
Cappuccino
$2.96¥462
$2.90฿96.3
2.07%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28¥200
$0.88฿29.27
45.45%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73¥114
$0.48฿16.00
52.08%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.67¥417
$2.35฿78.2
13.62%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.55¥554
$3.72฿124
-4.57%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Amagasaki
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.30¥203
$1.87฿62.0
-30.48%
White Bread(500g)
$1.70¥265
$1.47฿48.75
15.65%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$4.07¥636
$1.55฿51.6
162.58%
Eggs
$2.08¥324
$2.10฿69.9
-0.95%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.87¥1,541
$19.59฿651
-49.62%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.11¥953
$3.42฿114
78.65%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$16.26¥2,539
$11.38฿378
42.88%
Apples(1kg)
$4.59¥716
$2.98฿99.2
54.03%
Banana(1kg)
$2.73¥426
$1.68฿56.0
62.50%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.92¥457
$2.21฿73.5
32.13%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.78¥591
$2.16฿71.9
75.00%
Potato(1kg)
$2.52¥394
$1.52฿50.7
65.79%
Onion(1kg)
$2.25¥352
$1.34฿44.49
67.91%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.35¥210
$1.13฿37.53
19.47%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.81¥127
$0.55฿18.17
47.27%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.50¥703
$4.26฿142
5.63%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.34¥1,302
$19.09฿635
-56.31%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.97¥307
$1.78฿59.2
10.67%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.30¥359
$2.78฿92.5
-17.27%
🚌 Getting Around
Amagasaki
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.61¥251
$2.23฿74.1
-27.80%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$57.5¥8,981
$22.74฿756
152.90%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.83¥442
$3.03฿101
-6.60%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.11¥486
$1.02฿34.02
204.90%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$22.40¥3,498
$3.89฿129
475.84%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.06¥166
$1.49฿49.57
-28.86%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.2K¥3.5M
$26.6K฿883.8K
-16.37%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$16.3K¥2.5M
$27.0K฿898.7K
-39.73%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Amagasaki
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$119¥18.6K
$102฿3,407
16.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.38¥4,120
$11.33฿377
132.83%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.92¥5,141
$17.40฿578
89.20%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Amagasaki
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$50.2¥7,840
$52.1฿1,732
-3.61%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$11.07฿368
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.90¥1,702
$7.69฿256
41.74%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Amagasaki
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$545¥85.0K
$561฿18.6K
-2.86%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$13.0K¥2.0M
$11.5K฿382.6K
13.06%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Amagasaki
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$48.52¥7,577
$63.0฿2,096
-23.02%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.54¥5,550
$29.52฿982
20.39%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$67.2¥10.5K
$98.0฿3,259
-31.43%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.5¥14.0K
$88.5฿2,943
1.18%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Amagasaki
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$556¥86.8K
$738฿24.5K
-24.70%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$324¥50.6K
$482฿16.0K
-32.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,036¥161.8K
$2,107฿70.0K
-50.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$840¥131.1K
$1,226฿40.8K
-31.51%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,332¥520.3K
$3,617฿120.3K
-7.88%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,677¥261.8K
$2,603฿86.5K
-35.59%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Amagasaki
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,097¥483.6K
$494฿16.4K
527.40%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
2.09
5.57
-62.48%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Amagasaki: September 14, 2026
Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $556 in Amagasaki and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Amagasaki pays 527% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $37.00 in Amagasaki vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $274 per month, with Phuket 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
Amagasaki vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Amagasaki and in Phuket?
Amagasaki and Phuket differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($1,219 vs $1,232 including rent). Amagasaki is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Amagasaki or Phuket?
Average pay runs 527% higher in Amagasaki, 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 in Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $556 in Amagasaki versus $738 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Phuket pay roughly 7% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Amagasaki – a meal for two runs $37.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,219 in Amagasaki versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Amagasaki but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Amagasaki 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 Amagasaki gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.