Cost of Living Comparison Between Kagoshima and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Kagoshima and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,188 per month in Kagoshima vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,903 per month in Kagoshima vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,618 per month in Kagoshima vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

Kagoshima is about 5% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Kagoshima and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Kagoshima 11% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.29 ¥1,347

$4.55 ฿153

82.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.85 ¥6,637

$46.18 ฿1,553

-11.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.89 ¥956

$8.84 ฿297

-33.37%

Cappuccino

$3.05 ¥495

$3.06 ฿103

-0.33%

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

$1.08 ¥176

$0.73 ฿24.40

47.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥131

$0.40 ฿13.39

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.63 ¥265

$2.43 ฿81.8

-32.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 ¥340

$3.78 ฿127

-44.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 ¥217

$2.26 ฿76.0

-40.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 ¥204

$1.81 ฿60.9

-30.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.06 ¥660

$2.25 ฿75.8

80.44%

Eggs

$2.40 ¥389

$2.25 ฿75.5

6.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.90 ¥1,609

$19.51 ฿656

-49.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.04 ¥982

$3.65 ฿123

65.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.85 ¥3,387

$13.05 ฿439

59.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.05 ¥495

$3.23 ฿109

-5.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 ¥220

$1.62 ฿54.4

-16.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.41 ¥229

$2.38 ฿80.1

-40.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.99 ¥973

$2.03 ฿68.1

195.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.31 ¥375

$1.53 ฿51.6

50.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 ¥334

$1.50 ฿50.5

37.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ¥160

$0.98 ฿32.91

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ¥122

$0.52 ฿17.39

44.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.80 ¥618

$4.44 ฿149

-14.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.87 ¥954

$18.32 ฿616

-67.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 ¥207

$1.86 ฿62.7

-31.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 ¥341

$2.68 ฿90.1

-21.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 ¥242

$1.41 ฿47.46

5.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.6 ¥9,039

$11.70 ฿393

375.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.73 ¥769

$3.11 ฿105

52.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.99 ¥486

$1.04 ฿35.06

187.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.43 ¥2,019

$14.11 ฿474

-11.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ¥197

$1.31 ฿44.10

-7.63%

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

$22.9K ¥3.7M

$27.8K ฿935.4K

-17.65%

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

$19.9K ¥3.2M

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-39.98%

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

$211 ¥34.3K

$122 ฿4,118

72.32%

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

$26.94 ¥4,377

$13.59 ฿457

98.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.20 ¥5,882

$18.70 ฿629

93.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.7 ¥9,208

$60.5 ฿2,034

-6.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.74 ¥2,232

$16.98 ฿571

-19.08%

Cinema Ticket

$13.61 ¥2,212

$9.07 ฿305

50.06%

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

$409 ¥66.5K

$706 ฿23.8K

-42.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$15.8K ฿531.5K

-16.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.51 ¥6,906

$58.6 ฿1,969

-27.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.17 ¥4,740

$35.36 ฿1,189

-17.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.0 ¥10.9K

$115 ฿3,883

-42.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.9 ¥9,890

$83.7 ฿2,816

-27.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 ¥77.1K

$626 ฿21.0K

-24.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ¥38.7K

$445 ฿15.0K

-46.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$852 ¥138.5K

$2,040 ฿68.6K

-58.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 ¥107.3K

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-55.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,841 ¥786.5K

$3,483 ฿117.1K

39.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,213 ¥359.5K

$2,577 ฿86.7K

-14.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,826 ¥296.7K

$500 ฿16.8K

265.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.67

5.33

-68.67%

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

Last update for Kagoshima: July 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $474 in Kagoshima versus $626 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 265% higher in Kagoshima, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $41.00 in Kagoshima versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $279 vs $289 – making Kagoshima the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Kagoshima vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 5% more than Kagoshima, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,781 per month in Kagoshima and $1,875 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kagoshima, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 375% less in Kagoshima. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $409 per month in Kagoshima and $706 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kagoshima, where all-in costs run around $1,188, than in Phuket at $1,250. In Kagoshima it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kagoshima costs $1,188 versus $1,250 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kagoshima. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.