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: $1,271 in Cheongju versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,916 in Cheongju versus $2,255 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,562 in Cheongju versus $3,279 in Phuket.

Living in Cheongju is roughly 3% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cheongju 5% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.10 ₩10.5K

$4.63 ฿151

53.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.92 ₩54.4K

$46.84 ฿1,523

-21.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.75 ₩7,000

$8.84 ฿287

-46.27%

Cappuccino

$4.20 ₩6,192

$3.00 ฿97.4

40.00%

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

$1.82 ₩2,675

$0.74 ฿24.11

145.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 ₩1,960

$0.37 ฿11.88

259.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.65 ₩5,385

$2.44 ฿79.3

49.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 ₩8,619

$3.61 ฿117

62.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ₩2,989

$2.26 ฿73.5

-10.18%

White Bread (500g)

$3.49 ₩5,135

$1.84 ฿59.8

89.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 ₩2,646

$2.24 ฿73.0

-19.64%

Eggs

$2.14 ₩3,149

$2.32 ฿75.3

-7.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.37 ₩15.3K

$19.67 ฿639

-47.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.15 ₩12.0K

$3.65 ฿119

123.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 ₩21.7K

$13.10 ฿426

12.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ₩4,276

$3.39 ฿110

-14.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.85 ₩4,205

$1.64 ฿53.4

73.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.33 ₩10.8K

$2.41 ฿78.5

204.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.10 ₩7,520

$2.03 ฿66.0

151.23%

Potato (1kg)

$5.18 ₩7,634

$1.56 ฿50.6

232.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.99 ₩4,407

$1.50 ฿48.66

99.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 ₩3,097

$1.02 ฿33.30

105.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₩670

$0.49 ฿15.91

-8.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 ₩5,011

$4.45 ฿145

-23.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.40 ₩19.7K

$18.88 ฿614

-29.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ₩2,589

$1.78 ฿57.7

-1.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 ₩3,284

$2.75 ฿89.5

-18.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 ₩1,771

$1.40 ฿45.54

-14.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.2 ₩109.3K

$11.48 ฿373

546.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.72 ₩4,000

$3.12 ฿101

-12.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 ₩1,151

$1.00 ฿32.48

-22.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.73 ₩24.6K

$14.09 ฿458

18.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ₩1,771

$1.35 ฿43.93

-11.11%

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

$27.8K ₩41.0M

$27.2K ฿883.7K

2.31%

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

$24.8K ₩36.5M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-24.79%

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

$187 ₩274.8K

$125 ฿4,063

49.26%

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

$24.21 ₩35.7K

$13.57 ฿441

78.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.77 ₩21.8K

$18.52 ฿602

-20.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ₩89.4K

$61.5 ฿1,999

-1.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.69 ₩49.6K

$16.84 ฿547

100.06%

Cinema Ticket

$7.54 ₩11.1K

$9.19 ฿299

-17.95%

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

$487 ₩718.0K

$698 ฿22.7K

-30.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K ₩20.9M

$15.6K ฿506.9K

-8.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.46 ₩53.7K

$57.8 ฿1,878

-36.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.11 ₩69.4K

$35.24 ฿1,146

33.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.9 ₩132.4K

$113 ฿3,677

-20.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 ₩159.3K

$86.4 ฿2,808

25.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$300 ₩442.6K

$616 ฿20.0K

-51.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$236 ₩348.0K

$446 ฿14.5K

-47.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$418 ₩616.0K

$2,048 ฿66.6K

-79.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$301 ₩443.3K

$1,492 ฿48.5K

-79.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,730 ₩14.3M

$3,779 ฿122.8K

157.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,844 ₩8.6M

$2,649 ฿86.1K

120.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,369 ₩3.5M

$524 ฿17.0K

352.35%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $300 in Cheongju and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cheongju pays 352% 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: $37.00 in Cheongju vs $47.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $349 vs $292, 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

Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Cheongju. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Cheongju pays 352% 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: $300 in Cheongju versus $616 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,271 per month in Cheongju versus $1,232 in Phuket – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 546% less than in Cheongju. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,271 in Cheongju, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Cheongju. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,232 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Cheongju. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.