Cost of Living Comparison Between Ansan and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Ansan and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,419 in Ansan versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,235 in Ansan versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,052 in Ansan versus $3,248 in Phuket.

Living in Ansan is roughly 12% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ansan is 7% above, Phuket is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.32 ₩10.6K

$4.48 ฿150

63.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.96 ₩33.1K

$45.59 ฿1,525

-49.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.06 ₩7,298

$8.76 ฿293

-42.24%

Cappuccino

$3.82 ₩5,518

$2.97 ฿99.3

28.62%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₩2,490

$0.69 ฿22.96

150.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₩1,013

$0.39 ฿13.07

79.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 ₩4,306

$2.53 ฿84.7

17.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 ₩5,446

$3.75 ฿125

0.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 ₩3,230

$2.15 ฿71.8

4.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.31 ₩4,780

$1.82 ฿60.7

81.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.12 ₩4,499

$2.18 ฿73.1

43.12%

Eggs

$3.17 ₩4,574

$2.25 ฿75.2

40.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.08 ₩20.3K

$20.00 ฿669

-29.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.92 ₩15.8K

$3.63 ฿121

200.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$33.57 ₩48.5K

$13.56 ฿453

147.57%

Apples (1kg)

$7.92 ₩11.4K

$3.24 ฿109

144.44%

Banana (1kg)

$3.63 ₩5,247

$1.64 ฿54.7

121.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.69 ₩8,215

$2.33 ฿78.0

144.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.45 ₩9,304

$2.07 ฿69.3

211.59%

Potato (1kg)

$3.81 ₩5,497

$1.55 ฿51.8

145.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 ₩4,226

$1.46 ฿48.67

100.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 ₩3,744

$0.98 ฿32.94

164.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 ₩1,823

$0.48 ฿16.13

162.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 ₩4,753

$4.35 ฿146

-24.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.20 ₩24.8K

$18.57 ฿621

-7.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 ₩3,480

$1.86 ฿62.1

29.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 ₩4,643

$2.65 ฿88.8

21.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 ₩1,625

$1.42 ฿47.40

-20.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿387

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 ₩4,984

$3.17 ฿106

8.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ₩820

$1.03 ฿34.51

-44.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.80 ₩12.7K

$13.89 ฿465

-36.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₩1,745

$1.34 ฿44.96

-9.70%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.2K ₩39.3M

$27.8K ฿929.6K

-2.06%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$24.8K ₩35.8M

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-25.69%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$161 ₩232.2K

$123 ฿4,116

30.74%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$35.32 ₩51.0K

$13.77 ฿461

156.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.99 ₩31.7K

$18.33 ฿613

19.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.96 ₩41.8K

$60.7 ฿2,030

-52.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿574

Cinema Ticket

$10.92 ₩15.8K

$8.87 ฿297

23.11%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$407 ₩588.2K

$688 ฿23.0K

-40.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K ₩34.4M

$15.8K ฿527.8K

51.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 ₩83.6K

$59.3 ฿1,984

-2.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.79 ₩69.0K

$34.69 ฿1,160

37.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.1 ₩114.2K

$115 ฿3,853

-31.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₩164.9K

$83.8 ฿2,802

36.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$440 ₩634.4K

$621 ฿20.8K

-29.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 ₩528.6K

$446 ฿14.9K

-17.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,081 ₩1.6M

$2,034 ฿68.0K

-46.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$734 ₩1.1M

$1,496 ฿50.0K

-50.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$21.8K ₩31.5M

$3,455 ฿115.6K

531.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,353 ₩2.0M

$494 ฿16.5K

174.01%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $440 in Ansan and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ansan pays 174% 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: $23.00 in Ansan vs $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $490 vs $291, 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

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 174% higher in Ansan, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $440 in Ansan versus $621 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $407 in Ansan versus $688 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $23.00 in Ansan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,419 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.

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.

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.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Ansan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.