Cost of Living Comparison Between Cheonan and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Cheonan and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,403 per month in Cheonan vs $1,253 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,204 per month in Cheonan vs $2,043 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,005 per month in Cheonan vs $2,833 in Phuket, rent included.

Cheonan costs about 12% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Cheonan sits 2% above the global median, while Phuket is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.36 ₩9,982

$4.56 ฿150

61.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.53 ₩29.2K

$32.62 ฿1,073

-34.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.20 ₩5,692

$8.90 ฿293

-52.81%

Cappuccino

$1.47 ₩1,994

$2.80 ฿92.2

-47.50%

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

$1.14 ₩1,544

$0.88 ฿28.94

29.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₩1,830

$0.49 ฿16.08

175.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.20 ₩2,986

$2.39 ฿78.5

-7.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.21 ₩5,704

$3.71 ฿122

13.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ₩2,104

$1.79 ฿58.8

-13.41%

White Bread (500g)

$3.16 ₩4,285

$1.44 ฿47.40

119.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.98 ₩4,042

$1.58 ฿52.1

88.61%

Eggs

$2.59 ₩3,516

$2.13 ฿69.9

21.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.71 ₩14.5K

$19.92 ฿655

-46.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 ₩13.7K

$3.43 ฿113

194.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.13 ₩32.7K

$11.33 ฿372

112.97%

Apples (1kg)

$10.67 ₩14.5K

$2.95 ฿97.0

261.69%

Banana (1kg)

$3.51 ₩4,757

$1.72 ฿56.6

104.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.99 ₩10.8K

$2.32 ฿76.5

244.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.60 ₩7,586

$2.08 ฿68.4

169.23%

Potato (1kg)

$5.71 ₩7,741

$1.47 ฿48.34

288.44%

Onion (1kg)

$3.14 ₩4,263

$1.36 ฿44.65

130.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.79 ₩3,780

$1.10 ฿36.13

153.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₩1,771

$0.57 ฿18.89

129.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.26 ₩4,425

$4.27 ฿140

-23.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 ₩24.1K

$18.42 ฿606

-3.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 ₩3,242

$1.87 ฿61.5

27.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ₩4,570

$2.92 ฿96.1

15.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 ₩1,485

$2.22 ฿73.0

-50.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.88 ₩3,904

$3.03 ฿99.6

-4.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 ₩1,017

$1.07 ฿35.32

-29.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.10 ₩21.8K

$3.93 ฿129

309.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ₩1,604

$1.49 ฿49.06

-20.81%

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

$28.9K ₩39.2M

$27.1K ฿892.0K

6.54%

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

$32.8K ₩44.5M

$27.5K ฿902.6K

19.46%

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

$191 ₩259.2K

$103 ฿3,380

85.95%

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

$34.82 ₩47.2K

$10.99 ฿361

216.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.91 ₩35.1K

$17.51 ฿576

47.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.9 ₩74.5K

$53.5 ฿1,760

2.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.69 ₩15.8K

$11.20 ฿368

4.38%

Cinema Ticket

$11.64 ₩15.8K

$7.48 ฿246

55.61%

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

$611 ₩828.3K

$557 ฿18.3K

9.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.7K ₩28.1M

$11.9K ฿389.7K

74.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.4 ₩90.0K

$64.1 ฿2,107

3.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.2 ₩78.9K

$29.07 ฿956

100.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 ₩122.8K

$96.0 ฿3,155

-5.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 ₩169.9K

$90.3 ฿2,970

38.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$426 ₩577.5K

$730 ฿24.0K

-41.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$341 ₩462.6K

$500 ฿16.4K

-31.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,111 ₩1.5M

$2,090 ฿68.7K

-46.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$704 ₩954.6K

$1,209 ฿39.8K

-41.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,494 ₩10.2M

$3,596 ฿118.2K

108.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,453 ₩7.4M

$2,512 ฿82.6K

117.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,755 ₩2.4M

$503 ฿16.6K

248.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

5.57

-24.24%

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

Last update for Cheonan: August 29, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $426 in Cheonan versus $730 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 249% higher in Cheonan, 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 $22.00 in Cheonan versus $33.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $463 in Cheonan vs $273 in Phuket – so Phuket wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Cheonan vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cheonan costs about 12% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,104 per month in Cheonan and $1,880 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 $1,403 in Cheonan and $1,253 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $611 per month in Cheonan and $557 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 $1,253, than in Cheonan at $1,403. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cheonan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,253 versus $1,403 in Cheonan. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Cheonan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.