Cost of Living Comparison Between Changwon and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Changwon and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,504 in Changwon versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,304 in Changwon versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,105 in Changwon versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Changwon is roughly 19% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Changwon is 12% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.95 ₩10.5K

$4.56 ฿149

52.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.97 ₩42.5K

$46.63 ฿1,519

-40.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.06 ₩7,679

$8.47 ฿276

-40.26%

Cappuccino

$3.65 ₩5,538

$3.03 ฿98.6

20.46%

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

$1.79 ₩2,711

$0.69 ฿22.45

159.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ₩1,420

$0.37 ฿11.92

151.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.87 ₩4,356

$2.49 ฿81.0

15.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 ₩6,434

$3.66 ฿119

15.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 ₩3,412

$2.18 ฿71.0

3.21%

White Bread (500g)

$3.61 ₩5,481

$1.90 ฿62.0

90.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.13 ₩4,750

$2.20 ฿71.6

42.27%

Eggs

$2.88 ₩4,372

$2.22 ฿72.4

29.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.68 ₩16.2K

$19.99 ฿651

-46.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.21 ₩12.5K

$3.66 ฿119

124.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.42 ₩41.6K

$13.25 ฿432

106.94%

Apples (1kg)

$8.58 ₩13.0K

$3.23 ฿105

165.63%

Banana (1kg)

$3.13 ₩4,747

$1.70 ฿55.3

84.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.37 ₩11.2K

$2.39 ฿78.0

208.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.41 ₩8,223

$2.08 ฿67.7

160.10%

Potato (1kg)

$5.15 ₩7,828

$1.59 ฿51.8

223.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.96 ₩4,489

$1.48 ฿48.31

100.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.11 ₩3,202

$1.03 ฿33.54

104.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₩1,763

$0.52 ฿16.83

123.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.36 ₩5,099

$4.25 ฿138

-20.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.40 ₩24.9K

$18.79 ฿612

-12.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₩2,627

$1.76 ฿57.2

-1.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 ₩5,240

$2.76 ฿89.8

25.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 ₩1,670

$1.36 ฿44.32

-19.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.72 ₩4,133

$3.14 ฿102

-13.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 ₩1,198

$1.04 ฿33.74

-24.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.42 ₩24.9K

$13.77 ฿448

19.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ₩1,859

$1.34 ฿43.79

-8.96%

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

$28.3K ₩42.9M

$27.7K ฿901.4K

2.08%

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

$24.6K ₩37.3M

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-27.42%

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

$192 ₩291.9K

$124 ฿4,025

55.52%

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

$49.82 ₩75.7K

$13.52 ฿440

268.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.36 ₩41.5K

$18.69 ฿609

46.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 ₩77.4K

$61.8 ฿2,013

-17.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$11.43 ₩17.4K

$9.14 ฿298

25.05%

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

$496 ₩752.8K

$703 ฿22.9K

-29.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.1K ₩21.4M

$15.9K ฿517.0K

-11.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 ₩153.9K

$59.5 ฿1,937

70.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.83 ₩72.6K

$35.07 ฿1,142

36.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.7 ₩131.6K

$115 ฿3,754

-24.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 ₩179.2K

$84.1 ฿2,737

40.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$447 ₩678.9K

$619 ฿20.1K

-27.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$378 ₩574.1K

$433 ฿14.1K

-12.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,054 ₩1.6M

$2,062 ฿67.2K

-48.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$761 ₩1.2M

$1,511 ฿49.2K

-49.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,469 ₩2.2M

$507 ฿16.5K

189.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

5.33

-20.83%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Changwon: June 7, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $447 in Changwon and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Changwon pays 190% 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: $28.00 in Changwon vs $47.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $448 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

Changwon vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Changwon and Phuket differ by about 19% in total monthly costs ($1,504 vs $1,261 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Changwon pays 190% more on average, 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: $447 in Changwon versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 53% higher in Changwon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,504 per month in Changwon versus $1,261 in Phuket – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,504 in Changwon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Changwon. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Changwon 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 19% less than in Changwon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.