🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,243 in Amagasaki.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $1,961 in Amagasaki.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $2,680 in Amagasaki.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 1% less than in Amagasaki, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket8% lower, Amagasaki7% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Amagasaki
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63฿151
$7.01¥1,122
-33.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84฿1,532
$34.19¥5,473
37.00%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿289
$5.29¥847
67.11%
Cappuccino
$3.00฿98.0
$3.13¥502
-4.15%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74฿24.25
$1.05¥168
-29.52%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.95
$0.81¥130
-54.32%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.44฿79.8
$2.62¥419
-6.87%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61฿118
$3.17¥508
13.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Amagasaki
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿73.9
$1.54¥247
46.75%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84฿60.1
$1.55¥248
18.71%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.24฿73.4
$4.84¥775
-53.72%
Eggs
$2.32฿75.7
$2.21¥353
4.98%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.67฿643
$10.15¥1,625
93.79%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿119
$6.22¥996
-41.32%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.10฿428
$15.38¥2,462
-14.82%
Apples(1kg)
$3.39฿111
$5.43¥870
-37.57%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64฿53.7
$2.63¥421
-37.64%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿79.0
$4.08¥653
-40.93%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿66.4
$5.95¥953
-65.88%
Potato(1kg)
$1.56฿50.9
$3.17¥508
-50.79%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿48.94
$2.61¥417
-42.53%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02฿33.50
$1.38¥220
-26.09%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.00
$0.90¥144
-45.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45฿145
$4.28¥686
3.97%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.88฿617
$8.06¥1,289
134.24%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$1.83¥292
-2.73%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75฿90.1
$2.27¥363
21.15%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Amagasaki
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.40฿45.81
$1.65¥264
-15.15%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.48฿376
$56.2¥8,989
-79.55%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.12฿102
$3.49¥558
-10.60%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00฿32.67
$2.98¥477
-66.44%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.09฿461
$21.00¥3,361
-32.90%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35฿44.19
$1.23¥196
9.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2K฿888.9K
$23.6K¥3.8M
15.06%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$17.2K¥2.8M
91.01%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Amagasaki
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125฿4,087
$141¥22.6K
-11.63%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿444
$27.60¥4,418
-50.83%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52฿606
$34.23¥5,479
-45.90%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Amagasaki
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.5฿2,010
$56.1¥8,979
9.61%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84฿551
$14.00¥2,241
20.29%
Cinema Ticket
$9.19฿300
$12.61¥2,018
-27.12%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Amagasaki
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$698฿22.8K
$279¥44.6K
150.42%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6K฿509.9K
$13.5K¥2.2M
15.20%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Amagasaki
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8฿1,889
$43.57¥6,975
32.57%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24฿1,152
$29.71¥4,756
18.61%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,699
$60.1¥9,628
88.08%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4฿2,825
$91.2¥14.6K
-5.31%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Amagasaki
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$616฿20.1K
$463¥74.2K
32.96%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446฿14.6K
$330¥52.8K
35.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,048฿67.0K
$856¥137.1K
139.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿48.8K
$663¥106.1K
125.10%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,779฿123.6K
$4,646¥743.7K
-18.67%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,649฿86.6K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Amagasaki
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$524฿17.1K
$2,944¥471.2K
-82.21%
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: April 27, 2026
Last update for Amagasaki: April 28, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $463 in Amagasaki. 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: $47.00 in Phuket vs $34.00 in Amagasaki. Groceries flip the comparison at $292 vs $317, 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 Amagasaki?
Phuket and Amagasaki differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $1,243 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, Amagasaki earns 462% less. 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 Amagasaki?
Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $463 in Amagasaki. 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 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 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.