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: $1,503 in Changwon versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,313 in Changwon versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,122 in Changwon versus $3,248 in Phuket.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Changwon is 13% above, Phuket is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.21 ₩10.4K

$4.48 ฿150

60.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.95 ₩40.2K

$45.59 ฿1,521

-38.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.25 ₩7,544

$8.76 ฿292

-40.07%

Cappuccino

$3.61 ₩5,191

$2.97 ฿99.0

21.55%

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

$1.88 ₩2,706

$0.69 ฿22.90

172.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 ₩1,414

$0.39 ฿13.04

151.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 ₩4,198

$2.53 ฿84.4

15.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.34 ₩6,242

$3.75 ฿125

15.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.34 ₩3,363

$2.15 ฿71.6

8.84%

White Bread (500g)

$3.56 ₩5,119

$1.82 ฿60.6

95.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.12 ₩4,482

$2.18 ฿72.9

43.12%

Eggs

$2.92 ₩4,193

$2.25 ฿75.0

29.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.30 ₩14.8K

$20.00 ฿667

-48.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.15 ₩11.7K

$3.63 ฿121

124.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.16 ₩39.1K

$13.56 ฿452

100.29%

Apples (1kg)

$8.66 ₩12.4K

$3.24 ฿108

167.28%

Banana (1kg)

$3.15 ₩4,527

$1.64 ฿54.6

92.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.26 ₩10.4K

$2.33 ฿77.8

211.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.10 ₩7,340

$2.07 ฿69.1

146.38%

Potato (1kg)

$5.01 ₩7,199

$1.55 ฿51.6

223.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 ₩4,184

$1.46 ฿48.54

99.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 ₩2,932

$0.98 ฿32.86

108.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₩1,747

$0.48 ฿16.09

152.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.27 ₩4,704

$4.35 ฿145

-24.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.11 ₩24.6K

$18.57 ฿620

-7.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 ₩2,412

$1.86 ฿61.9

-9.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 ₩5,024

$2.65 ฿88.6

31.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 ₩1,520

$1.42 ฿47.28

-25.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 ₩3,866

$3.17 ฿106

-15.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 ₩1,153

$1.03 ฿34.41

-22.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.66 ₩24.0K

$13.89 ฿463

19.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ₩1,689

$1.34 ฿44.84

-12.69%

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

$27.6K ₩39.6M

$27.8K ฿927.1K

-0.81%

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

$25.3K ₩36.4M

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-24.20%

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

$193 ₩276.9K

$123 ฿4,105

56.46%

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

$51.0 ₩73.3K

$13.77 ฿459

270.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.21 ₩39.1K

$18.33 ฿611

48.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 ₩75.2K

$60.7 ฿2,025

-13.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$11.45 ₩16.5K

$8.87 ฿296

29.09%

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

$490 ₩704.7K

$688 ฿22.9K

-28.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K ₩20.4M

$15.8K ฿526.4K

-10.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 ₩148.7K

$59.3 ฿1,978

74.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.07 ₩67.7K

$34.69 ฿1,157

35.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.7 ₩126.2K

$115 ฿3,843

-23.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 ₩170.9K

$83.8 ฿2,794

41.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$457 ₩657.9K

$621 ฿20.7K

-26.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$377 ₩542.3K

$446 ฿14.9K

-15.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,059 ₩1.5M

$2,034 ฿67.8K

-47.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$772 ₩1.1M

$1,496 ฿49.9K

-48.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,541 ₩2.2M

$494 ฿16.5K

212.13%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $457 in Changwon and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Changwon pays 212% 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 $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $446 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

Changwon vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Changwon and Phuket differ by about 19% in total monthly costs ($1,503 vs $1,264 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 212% higher in Changwon, 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: $457 in Changwon versus $621 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 $1,503 per month in Changwon versus $1,264 in Phuket – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,503 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.