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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,281 per month in Cheonan vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,967 per month in Cheonan vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,652 per month in Cheonan vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

Cheonan costs about 3% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Cheonan and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Cheonan 4% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 ₩8,853

$4.55 ฿153

30.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.10 ₩32.9K

$46.18 ฿1,554

-52.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.09 ₩7,578

$8.84 ฿298

-42.42%

Cappuccino

$2.22 ₩3,300

$3.06 ฿103

-27.45%

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

$1.17 ₩1,734

$0.73 ฿24.42

60.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 ₩761

$0.40 ฿13.40

27.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 ₩3,913

$2.43 ฿81.8

8.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 ₩5,558

$3.78 ฿127

-1.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 ₩2,236

$2.26 ฿76.0

-33.63%

White Bread (500g)

$3.60 ₩5,355

$1.81 ฿60.9

98.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.08 ₩4,578

$2.25 ฿75.8

36.89%

Eggs

$1.79 ₩2,662

$2.25 ฿75.6

-20.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.62 ₩15.8K

$19.51 ฿656

-45.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.13 ₩12.1K

$3.65 ฿123

122.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.86 ₩17.6K

$13.05 ฿439

-9.12%

Apples (1kg)

$7.27 ₩10.8K

$3.23 ฿109

125.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 ₩3,792

$1.62 ฿54.4

57.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.66 ₩8,417

$2.38 ฿80.2

137.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.35 ₩7,958

$2.03 ฿68.2

163.55%

Potato (1kg)

$5.26 ₩7,831

$1.53 ฿51.6

243.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 ₩4,349

$1.50 ฿50.5

94.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 ₩1,340

$0.98 ฿32.93

-8.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 ₩1,550

$0.52 ฿17.40

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 ₩5,062

$4.44 ฿149

-23.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.98 ₩25.3K

$18.32 ฿616

-7.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 ₩2,497

$1.86 ฿62.7

-9.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 ₩2,144

$2.68 ฿90.2

-46.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₩1,670

$1.41 ฿47.49

-20.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 ₩4,423

$3.11 ฿105

-4.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 ₩1,179

$1.04 ฿35.08

-24.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.64 ₩24.8K

$14.11 ฿475

17.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₩1,718

$1.31 ฿44.13

-12.21%

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

$28.2K ₩41.9M

$27.8K ฿936.0K

1.33%

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

$25.1K ₩37.3M

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-24.51%

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

$143 ₩212.7K

$122 ฿4,120

16.73%

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

$51.3 ₩76.4K

$13.59 ฿457

277.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.03 ₩14.9K

$18.70 ฿629

-46.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.50 ₩72.2K

$60.5 ฿2,035

-19.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 ₩11.2K

$9.07 ฿305

-17.31%

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

$484 ₩720.8K

$706 ฿23.8K

-31.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K ₩21.1M

$15.8K ฿531.8K

-10.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 ₩152.0K

$58.6 ฿1,970

74.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.89 ₩71.3K

$35.36 ฿1,190

35.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.8 ₩109.8K

$115 ฿3,885

-36.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 ₩161.3K

$83.7 ฿2,818

29.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$461 ₩685.5K

$626 ฿21.1K

-26.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 ₩554.8K

$445 ฿15.0K

-16.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,077 ₩1.6M

$2,040 ฿68.7K

-47.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$753 ₩1.1M

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-49.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,049 ₩12.0M

$3,483 ฿117.2K

131.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,770 ₩7.1M

$2,577 ฿86.7K

85.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,624 ₩2.4M

$500 ฿16.8K

224.99%

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 Cheonan: July 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $461 in Cheonan versus $626 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 225% 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 $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $363 in Cheonan vs $289 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 3% 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 $1,922 per month in Cheonan and $1,875 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 $1,281 in Cheonan and $1,250 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $484 per month in Cheonan and $706 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 $1,250, than in Cheonan at $1,281. 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 $1,250 versus $1,281 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.