Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Amagasaki Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Amagasaki

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,235 in Amagasaki.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,946 in Amagasaki.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $2,657 in Amagasaki.

Living in Phuket is roughly 2% more expensive than in Amagasaki, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Amagasaki 7% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Amagasaki
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.48 ฿150
$6.95 ¥1,095
-35.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.59 ฿1,521
$34.99 ¥5,514
30.29%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.76 ฿292
$5.45 ¥858
60.73%
Cappuccino
$2.97 ฿99.0
$3.19 ¥503
-6.90%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69 ฿22.90
$1.05 ¥165
-34.29%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39 ฿13.04
$0.77 ¥121
-49.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.53 ฿84.4
$2.65 ¥417
-4.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.75 ฿125
$3.10 ¥488
20.97%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Amagasaki
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.15 ฿71.6
$1.55 ¥244
38.71%
White Bread (500g)
$1.82 ฿60.6
$1.55 ¥243
17.42%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.18 ฿72.9
$4.75 ¥748
-54.11%
Eggs
$2.25 ฿75.0
$2.27 ¥358
-0.88%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$20.00 ฿667
$9.92 ¥1,563
101.61%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.63 ฿121
$6.48 ¥1,022
-43.98%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.56 ฿452
$15.22 ¥2,398
-10.91%
Apples (1kg)
$3.24 ฿108
$5.41 ¥853
-40.11%
Banana (1kg)
$1.64 ฿54.6
$2.51 ¥396
-34.66%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.33 ฿77.8
$3.96 ¥624
-41.16%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.07 ฿69.1
$5.99 ¥944
-65.44%
Potato (1kg)
$1.55 ฿51.6
$3.02 ¥475
-48.68%
Onion (1kg)
$1.46 ฿48.54
$2.69 ¥423
-45.72%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.98 ฿32.86
$1.39 ¥220
-29.50%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48 ฿16.09
$0.88 ¥138
-45.45%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.35 ฿145
$4.19 ¥661
3.82%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.57 ฿620
$7.96 ¥1,254
133.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86 ฿61.9
$1.85 ¥291
0.54%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.65 ฿88.6
$2.23 ¥351
18.83%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Amagasaki
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.42 ฿47.28
$1.66 ¥261
-14.46%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.57 ฿386
$54.5 ¥8,584
-78.76%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.17 ฿106
$3.52 ¥554
-9.94%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.03 ฿34.41
$3.02 ¥476
-65.89%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.89 ฿463
$20.49 ¥3,228
-32.21%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.34 ฿44.84
$1.20 ¥189
11.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K ฿927.1K
$23.4K ¥3.7M
19.00%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.4K ฿1.1M
$17.5K ¥2.8M
91.24%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Amagasaki
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$123 ฿4,105
$142 ¥22.4K
-13.51%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.77 ฿459
$27.19 ¥4,284
-49.36%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.33 ฿611
$34.07 ¥5,368
-46.20%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Amagasaki
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.7 ฿2,025
$55.2 ¥8,703
9.89%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.16 ฿573
$14.11 ¥2,223
21.62%
Cinema Ticket
$8.87 ฿296
$12.32 ¥1,941
-28.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Amagasaki
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$688 ฿22.9K
$279 ¥43.9K
146.93%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.8K ฿526.4K
$13.2K ¥2.1M
19.40%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Amagasaki
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.3 ฿1,978
$43.25 ¥6,814
37.11%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.69 ฿1,157
$29.08 ¥4,582
19.29%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 ฿3,843
$61.2 ¥9,636
88.37%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.8 ฿2,794
$92.7 ¥14.6K
-9.66%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Amagasaki
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$621 ฿20.7K
$477 ¥75.2K
30.23%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$446 ฿14.9K
$334 ¥52.7K
33.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,034 ฿67.8K
$878 ¥138.3K
131.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,496 ฿49.9K
$657 ¥103.5K
127.73%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,455 ฿115.3K
$4,821 ¥759.6K
-28.34%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,531 ฿84.4K
$2,327 ¥366.7K
8.78%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Amagasaki
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$494 ฿16.5K
$2,861 ¥450.8K
-82.75%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.33
1.78
199.44%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Amagasaki: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $477 in Amagasaki. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Amagasaki pays 480% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $35.00 in Amagasaki. Groceries flip the comparison at $291 vs $315, 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
Phuket vs Amagasaki: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Phuket and in Amagasaki?
Phuket and Amagasaki differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($1,264 vs $1,235 including rent). Amagasaki is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 480% lower in Amagasaki. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Phuket and in Amagasaki?
Rent for a central apartment: $621 in Phuket versus $477 in Amagasaki. 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 8% 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 $35.00 versus $46.00 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 $1,235 in Amagasaki versus $1,264 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 Phuket and Amagasaki?
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 Phuket or Amagasaki safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Amagasaki 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: Phuket or Amagasaki?
Expats usually find Amagasaki gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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