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: $1,440 in Ansan versus $1,232 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,235 in Ansan versus $2,255 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,030 in Ansan versus $3,279 in Phuket.
😐Living in Ansan is roughly 17% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Ansan is 8% above, Phuket is 8% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ansan
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.38₩10.9K
$4.63฿151
59.40%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$23.54₩34.9K
$46.84฿1,532
-49.74%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.07₩7,513
$8.84฿289
-42.65%
Cappuccino
$3.92₩5,809
$3.00฿98.0
30.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.66₩2,463
$0.74฿24.25
124.32%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70₩1,034
$0.37฿11.95
89.19%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.92₩4,324
$2.44฿79.8
19.67%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63₩5,380
$3.61฿118
0.55%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ansan
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.18₩3,229
$2.26฿73.9
-3.54%
White Bread(500g)
$3.42₩5,074
$1.84฿60.1
85.87%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.24₩4,804
$2.24฿73.4
44.64%
Eggs
$3.11₩4,615
$2.32฿75.7
34.05%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$14.19₩21.0K
$19.67฿643
-27.86%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.93₩16.2K
$3.65฿119
199.45%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$34.62₩51.4K
$13.10฿428
164.27%
Apples(1kg)
$7.93₩11.8K
$3.39฿111
133.92%
Banana(1kg)
$3.58₩5,304
$1.64฿53.7
118.29%
Oranges(1kg)
$5.50₩8,151
$2.41฿79.0
128.22%
Tomato(1kg)
$6.58₩9,757
$2.03฿66.4
224.14%
Potato(1kg)
$3.98₩5,900
$1.56฿50.9
155.13%
Onion(1kg)
$2.97₩4,400
$1.50฿48.94
98.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.64₩3,918
$1.02฿33.50
158.82%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.34₩1,981
$0.49฿16.00
173.47%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.26₩4,843
$4.45฿145
-26.74%
Wine(Bottle)
$15.49₩23.0K
$18.88฿617
-17.96%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.44₩3,616
$1.78฿58.1
37.08%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.34₩4,951
$2.75฿90.1
21.45%
🚌 Getting Around
Ansan
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.07₩1,587
$1.40฿45.81
-23.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.48฿376
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.55₩5,267
$3.12฿102
13.78%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.56₩833
$1.00฿32.67
-44.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$9.02₩13.4K
$14.09฿461
-35.98%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.20₩1,781
$1.35฿44.19
-11.11%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.6K₩40.9M
$27.2K฿888.9K
1.38%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.6K₩36.4M
$32.9K฿1.1M
-25.40%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ansan
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$163₩241.9K
$125฿4,087
30.49%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$34.67₩51.4K
$13.57฿444
155.49%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$22.23₩33.0K
$18.52฿606
20.03%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ansan
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$29.89₩44.3K
$61.5฿2,010
-51.38%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.84฿551
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.86₩16.1K
$9.19฿300
18.17%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ansan
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$408₩605.1K
$698฿22.8K
-41.57%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$23.2K₩34.4M
$15.6K฿509.9K
48.59%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ansan
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.2₩86.3K
$57.8฿1,889
0.71%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.89₩71.0K
$35.24฿1,152
35.90%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$80.6₩119.5K
$113฿3,699
-28.75%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$116₩171.9K
$86.4฿2,825
34.13%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ansan
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$443₩657.7K
$616฿20.1K
-28.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$362₩536.4K
$446฿14.6K
-18.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,117₩1.7M
$2,048฿67.0K
-45.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$742₩1.1M
$1,492฿48.8K
-50.28%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$21.5K₩31.9M
$3,779฿123.6K
469.42%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,649฿86.6K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ansan
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,374₩2.0M
$524฿17.1K
162.34%
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: April 28, 2026
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $443 in Ansan and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Ansan pays 162% 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 $493 vs $292, 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 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Ansan or Phuket?
Ansan pays 162% 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: $443 in Ansan versus $616 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $408 in Ansan versus $698 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 $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,440 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 17% less than in Ansan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.