Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucheon and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucheon and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,472 per month in Bucheon vs $1,261 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,366 per month in Bucheon vs $2,286 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,261 per month in Bucheon vs $3,310 in Phuket, rent included.

Bucheon costs about 17% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Bucheon sits 10% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.86 ₩13.4K

$4.56 ฿149

94.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.1 ₩82.1K

$46.63 ฿1,519

15.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.29 ₩9,553

$8.47 ฿276

-25.74%

Cappuccino

$3.90 ₩5,922

$3.03 ฿98.6

28.71%

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

$1.69 ₩2,561

$0.69 ฿22.45

144.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 ₩1,278

$0.37 ฿11.92

127.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.73 ₩5,668

$2.49 ฿81.0

49.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.04 ₩9,173

$3.66 ฿119

65.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ₩3,366

$2.18 ฿71.0

1.83%

White Bread (500g)

$3.43 ₩5,213

$1.90 ฿62.0

80.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 ₩4,947

$2.20 ฿71.6

48.18%

Eggs

$3.17 ₩4,817

$2.22 ฿72.4

42.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.31 ₩21.7K

$19.99 ฿651

-28.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.94 ₩16.6K

$3.66 ฿119

198.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$33.88 ₩51.5K

$13.25 ฿432

155.70%

Apples (1kg)

$7.95 ₩12.1K

$3.23 ฿105

146.13%

Banana (1kg)

$3.56 ₩5,410

$1.70 ฿55.3

109.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.40 ₩8,196

$2.39 ฿78.0

125.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.56 ₩9,968

$2.08 ฿67.7

215.38%

Potato (1kg)

$3.97 ₩6,023

$1.59 ฿51.8

149.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.85 ₩4,335

$1.48 ฿48.31

92.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.62 ₩3,977

$1.03 ฿33.54

154.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 ₩1,770

$0.52 ฿16.83

125.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.21 ₩4,878

$4.25 ฿138

-24.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.11 ₩29.0K

$18.79 ฿612

1.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 ₩3,540

$1.76 ฿57.2

32.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 ₩4,939

$2.76 ฿89.8

17.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.07 ₩1,632

$1.36 ฿44.32

-21.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 ₩5,243

$3.14 ฿102

9.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 ₩858

$1.04 ฿33.74

-46.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.94 ₩13.6K

$13.77 ฿448

-35.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ₩1,904

$1.34 ฿43.79

-6.72%

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

$27.3K ₩41.5M

$27.7K ฿901.4K

-1.31%

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

$24.7K ₩37.5M

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-27.01%

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

$164 ₩249.6K

$124 ฿4,025

32.98%

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

$35.45 ₩53.8K

$13.52 ฿440

162.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.90 ₩33.3K

$18.69 ฿609

17.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.20 ₩71.7K

$61.8 ฿2,013

-23.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$11.00 ₩16.7K

$9.14 ฿298

20.35%

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

$420 ₩637.9K

$703 ฿22.9K

-40.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.9K ₩36.2M

$15.9K ฿517.0K

50.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.4 ₩88.7K

$59.5 ฿1,937

-1.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.60 ₩70.8K

$35.07 ฿1,142

32.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 ₩119.3K

$115 ฿3,754

-31.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₩173.6K

$84.1 ฿2,737

36.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$456 ₩692.1K

$619 ฿20.1K

-26.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 ₩575.4K

$433 ฿14.1K

-12.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,085 ₩1.6M

$2,062 ฿67.2K

-47.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₩1.2M

$1,511 ฿49.2K

-48.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.3K ₩15.6M

$3,646 ฿118.7K

181.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,620 ₩8.5M

$2,626 ฿85.5K

114.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,300 ₩2.0M

$507 ฿16.5K

156.34%

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 Bucheon: June 8, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $456 in Bucheon versus $619 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 156% higher in Bucheon, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Bucheon versus $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $495 vs $293 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Bucheon vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,472 in Bucheon, $1,261 in Phuket – roughly 17% apart. Bucheon costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,208 per month in Bucheon and $1,892 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,472 in Bucheon and $1,261 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $420 per month in Bucheon and $703 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,261, than in Bucheon at $1,472. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bucheon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,261 in Phuket to $1,472 in Bucheon. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bucheon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.