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: $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,238 in Amagasaki.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,936 in Amagasaki.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $2,633 in Amagasaki.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Amagasaki 8% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Amagasaki
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.56 ฿149
$7.09 ¥1,134
-35.68%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.63 ฿1,519
$34.91 ¥5,583
33.57%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.47 ฿276
$5.33 ¥853
58.91%
Cappuccino
$3.03 ฿98.6
$3.16 ¥506
-4.11%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69 ฿22.45
$1.06 ¥169
-34.91%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 ฿11.92
$0.81 ¥130
-54.32%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.49 ฿81.0
$2.66 ¥426
-6.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66 ฿119
$3.18 ¥509
15.09%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Amagasaki
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.18 ฿71.0
$1.58 ¥253
37.97%
White Bread (500g)
$1.90 ฿62.0
$1.59 ¥254
19.50%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.20 ฿71.6
$4.86 ¥778
-54.73%
Eggs
$2.22 ฿72.4
$2.30 ¥367
-3.48%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.99 ฿651
$10.15 ¥1,623
96.95%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.66 ฿119
$6.40 ¥1,024
-42.81%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.25 ฿432
$15.41 ¥2,464
-14.02%
Apples (1kg)
$3.23 ฿105
$5.46 ¥874
-40.84%
Banana (1kg)
$1.70 ฿55.3
$2.63 ¥420
-35.36%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.39 ฿78.0
$4.06 ¥649
-41.13%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿67.7
$5.75 ¥920
-63.83%
Potato (1kg)
$1.59 ฿51.8
$3.14 ¥502
-49.36%
Onion (1kg)
$1.48 ฿48.31
$2.68 ¥429
-44.78%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.03 ฿33.54
$1.38 ¥220
-25.36%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿16.83
$0.90 ¥144
-42.22%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.25 ฿138
$4.21 ¥674
0.95%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.79 ฿612
$7.47 ¥1,195
151.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 ฿57.2
$1.86 ¥297
-5.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76 ฿89.8
$2.25 ¥359
22.67%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Amagasaki
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.36 ฿44.32
$1.66 ¥265
-18.07%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.36 ฿370
$55.8 ¥8,930
-79.65%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.14 ฿102
$3.38 ¥540
-7.10%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.04 ฿33.74
$3.03 ¥484
-65.68%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.77 ฿448
$20.54 ¥3,284
-32.96%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.34 ฿43.79
$1.23 ¥197
8.94%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7K ฿901.4K
$23.1K ¥3.7M
19.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.9K ฿1.1M
$17.6K ¥2.8M
92.54%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Amagasaki
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$124 ฿4,025
$141 ¥22.5K
-12.04%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.52 ฿440
$27.50 ¥4,398
-50.84%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.69 ฿609
$34.49 ¥5,517
-45.81%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Amagasaki
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$61.8 ฿2,013
$54.8 ¥8,770
12.75%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.25 ฿562
$13.97 ¥2,235
23.48%
Cinema Ticket
$9.14 ฿298
$12.47 ¥1,994
-26.70%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Amagasaki
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$703 ฿22.9K
$287 ¥45.9K
144.66%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.9K ฿517.0K
$13.3K ¥2.1M
19.31%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Amagasaki
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5 ฿1,937
$43.38 ¥6,939
37.07%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.07 ฿1,142
$29.56 ¥4,727
18.64%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 ฿3,754
$60.1 ¥9,617
91.70%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.1 ฿2,737
$92.1 ¥14.7K
-8.70%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Amagasaki
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$619 ฿20.1K
$463 ¥74.1K
33.49%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$433 ฿14.1K
$326 ¥52.1K
32.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,062 ฿67.2K
$868 ¥138.8K
137.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,511 ฿49.2K
$647 ¥103.5K
133.48%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,646 ฿118.7K
$4,222 ¥675.2K
-13.64%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,626 ฿85.5K
$2,602 ¥416.2K
0.90%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Amagasaki
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$507 ฿16.5K
$2,896 ¥463.2K
-82.50%
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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Amagasaki: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $463 in Amagasaki. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Amagasaki pays 471% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $35.00 in Amagasaki. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 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 2% in total monthly costs ($1,261 vs $1,238 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, Amagasaki earns 471% 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: $619 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?
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 $47.00 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 $1,238 in Amagasaki versus $1,261 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.

Phuket vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities