Cost of Living Comparison Between Cheongju and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Cheongju and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,248 in Cheongju versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,883 in Cheongju versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,518 in Cheongju versus $3,248 in Phuket.

Living in Cheongju costs roughly 1% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cheongju 6% lower, Phuket 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.15 ₩10.3K

$4.48 ฿150

59.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.15 ₩52.0K

$45.59 ฿1,521

-20.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.82 ₩6,937

$8.76 ฿292

-44.98%

Cappuccino

$4.21 ₩6,055

$2.97 ฿99.0

41.75%

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

$1.88 ₩2,706

$0.69 ฿22.90

172.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 ₩1,971

$0.39 ฿13.04

251.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.70 ₩5,321

$2.53 ฿84.4

46.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.00 ₩8,635

$3.75 ฿125

60.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 ₩2,876

$2.15 ฿71.6

-6.98%

White Bread (500g)

$3.57 ₩5,132

$1.82 ฿60.6

96.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 ₩2,626

$2.18 ฿72.9

-16.06%

Eggs

$2.26 ₩3,244

$2.25 ฿75.0

0.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.44 ₩15.0K

$20.00 ฿667

-47.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.24 ₩11.9K

$3.63 ฿121

127.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.81 ₩21.3K

$13.56 ฿452

9.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 ₩4,184

$3.24 ฿108

-10.19%

Banana (1kg)

$2.93 ₩4,208

$1.64 ฿54.6

78.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.25 ₩10.4K

$2.33 ฿77.8

211.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.29 ₩7,601

$2.07 ฿69.1

155.56%

Potato (1kg)

$5.17 ₩7,443

$1.55 ฿51.6

233.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 ₩4,176

$1.46 ฿48.54

98.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.09 ₩3,008

$0.98 ฿32.86

113.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₩608

$0.48 ฿16.09

-12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.36 ₩4,833

$4.35 ฿145

-22.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.91 ₩20.0K

$18.57 ฿620

-25.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 ₩2,418

$1.86 ฿61.9

-9.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 ₩3,090

$2.65 ฿88.6

-18.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.21 ₩1,740

$1.42 ฿47.28

-14.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.3 ₩104.0K

$11.57 ฿386

525.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.72 ₩3,909

$3.17 ฿106

-14.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 ₩1,206

$1.03 ฿34.41

-18.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.69 ₩24.0K

$13.89 ฿463

20.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ₩1,680

$1.34 ฿44.84

-12.69%

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

$28.0K ₩40.3M

$27.8K ฿927.1K

0.83%

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

$25.3K ₩36.3M

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-24.35%

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

$191 ₩275.0K

$123 ฿4,105

55.41%

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

$24.27 ₩34.9K

$13.77 ฿459

76.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.78 ₩21.3K

$18.33 ฿611

-19.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.9 ₩90.4K

$60.7 ฿2,025

3.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.82 ₩48.6K

$17.16 ฿573

97.09%

Cinema Ticket

$7.30 ₩10.5K

$8.87 ฿296

-17.70%

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

$498 ₩716.2K

$688 ฿22.9K

-27.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K ₩20.6M

$15.8K ฿526.4K

-9.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.29 ₩53.6K

$59.3 ฿1,978

-37.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.45 ₩69.7K

$34.69 ฿1,157

39.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.4 ₩127.1K

$115 ฿3,843

-23.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ₩159.6K

$83.8 ฿2,794

32.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$303 ₩436.3K

$621 ฿20.7K

-51.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ₩345.3K

$446 ฿14.9K

-46.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$410 ₩590.2K

$2,034 ฿67.8K

-79.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$294 ₩423.3K

$1,496 ฿49.9K

-80.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,198 ₩10.4M

$3,455 ฿115.3K

108.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,148 ₩7.4M

$2,531 ฿84.4K

103.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,433 ₩3.5M

$494 ฿16.5K

392.86%

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 Cheongju: July 25, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $303 in Cheongju and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cheongju pays 393% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Cheongju vs $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $352 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

Cheongju vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cheongju wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cheongju the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 393% higher in Cheongju, 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: $303 in Cheongju versus $621 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,248 per month in Cheongju versus $1,264 in Phuket – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cheongju runs roughly 525% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,248 in Cheongju versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cheongju but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Cheongju the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Cheongju delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,248 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cheongju hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Cheongju 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 Cheongju gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.