Cost of Living Comparison Between Ansan and PhuketCost of Living Comparison Between Ansan and Phuket
Monthly Cost of Living
😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,458 in Ansan versus $1,261 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,241 in Ansan versus $2,286 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,025 in Ansan versus $3,310 in Phuket.
😐Living in Ansan is roughly 16% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Ansan is 8% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ansan
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.16₩10.9K
$4.56฿149
57.02%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$23.56₩35.8K
$46.63฿1,519
-49.47%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.11₩7,764
$8.47฿276
-39.67%
Cappuccino
$3.79₩5,759
$3.03฿98.6
25.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74₩2,637
$0.69฿22.45
152.17%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70₩1,056
$0.37฿11.92
89.19%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.86₩4,336
$2.49฿81.0
14.86%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.62₩5,501
$3.66฿119
-1.09%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ansan
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.13₩3,242
$2.18฿71.0
-2.29%
White Bread(500g)
$3.29₩5,000
$1.90฿62.0
73.16%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.24₩4,922
$2.20฿71.6
47.27%
Eggs
$3.08₩4,675
$2.22฿72.4
38.74%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$14.15₩21.5K
$19.99฿651
-29.21%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$11.01₩16.7K
$3.66฿119
200.82%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$33.60₩51.0K
$13.25฿432
153.58%
Apples(1kg)
$7.68₩11.7K
$3.23฿105
137.77%
Banana(1kg)
$3.51₩5,328
$1.70฿55.3
106.47%
Oranges(1kg)
$5.53₩8,403
$2.39฿78.0
131.38%
Tomato(1kg)
$6.42₩9,749
$2.08฿67.7
208.65%
Potato(1kg)
$3.89₩5,902
$1.59฿51.8
144.65%
Onion(1kg)
$2.83₩4,302
$1.48฿48.31
91.22%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.63₩3,993
$1.03฿33.54
155.34%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.33₩2,023
$0.52฿16.83
155.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.33₩5,053
$4.25฿138
-21.65%
Wine(Bottle)
$16.17₩24.6K
$18.79฿612
-13.94%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.41₩3,662
$1.76฿57.2
36.93%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.32₩5,045
$2.76฿89.8
20.29%
🚌 Getting Around
Ansan
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.12₩1,701
$1.36฿44.32
-17.65%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.36฿370
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.62₩5,491
$3.14฿102
15.29%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.53₩812
$1.04฿33.74
-49.04%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.79₩13.3K
$13.77฿448
-36.17%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.16₩1,762
$1.34฿43.79
-13.43%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K₩42.8M
$27.7K฿901.4K
1.85%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.8K₩37.7M
$33.9K฿1.1M
-26.65%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ansan
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$166₩251.9K
$124฿4,025
34.23%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$34.98₩53.1K
$13.52฿440
158.73%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$21.90₩33.3K
$18.69฿609
17.17%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ansan
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$28.90₩43.9K
$61.8฿2,013
-53.25%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.25฿562
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.98₩16.7K
$9.14฿298
20.13%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ansan
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$417₩633.3K
$703฿22.9K
-40.65%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$23.6K₩35.8M
$15.9K฿517.0K
48.53%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ansan
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.3₩90.0K
$59.5฿1,937
-0.35%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.35₩71.9K
$35.07฿1,142
35.02%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.4₩120.5K
$115฿3,754
-31.14%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$114₩173.6K
$84.1฿2,737
35.99%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ansan
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$439₩666.1K
$619฿20.1K
-29.09%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$366₩555.4K
$433฿14.1K
-15.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,119₩1.7M
$2,062฿67.2K
-45.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$740₩1.1M
$1,511฿49.2K
-51.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$21.9K₩33.2M
$3,646฿118.7K
499.77%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,626฿85.5K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ansan
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,303₩2.0M
$507฿16.5K
157.00%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.14
5.33
-22.33%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Ansan: June 8, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $439 in Ansan and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Ansan pays 157% 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: $24.00 in Ansan vs $47.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $486 vs $293, 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
Ansan vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Ansan?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Ansan or Phuket?
Ansan pays 157% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Ansan and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $439 in Ansan versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $417 in Ansan versus $703 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Ansan or Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $24.00 in Ansan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Ansan or Phuket?
At $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,458 in Ansan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Ansan. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Ansan or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ansan, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Ansan or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Ansan 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Ansan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.