Cost of Living Comparison Between Chungju and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Chungju and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,452 per month in Chungju vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Chungju vs $2,089 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,142 per month in Chungju vs $2,913 in Phuket, rent included.

Chungju costs about 15% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Chungju sits 5% above the global median, while Phuket is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.47 ₩10.0K

$4.66 ฿154

60.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.36 ₩64.8K

$32.22 ฿1,065

50.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.47 ₩8,682

$8.68 ฿287

-25.46%

Cappuccino

$3.60 ₩4,832

$2.90 ฿95.8

24.14%

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

$1.80 ₩2,417

$0.84 ฿27.89

114.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 ₩1,842

$0.49 ฿16.16

179.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.76 ₩5,047

$2.48 ฿82.0

51.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 ₩5,766

$3.73 ฿123

15.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 ₩3,020

$1.89 ฿62.3

19.05%

White Bread (500g)

$3.00 ₩4,026

$1.41 ฿46.54

112.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.04 ₩4,077

$1.62 ฿53.6

87.65%

Eggs

$2.72 ₩3,643

$2.24 ฿74.1

21.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.90 ₩14.6K

$19.84 ฿656

-45.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.64 ₩10.2K

$3.48 ฿115

119.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.71 ₩33.1K

$11.37 ฿376

117.33%

Apples (1kg)

$9.00 ₩12.1K

$2.90 ฿95.8

210.34%

Banana (1kg)

$3.59 ₩4,821

$1.72 ฿57.0

108.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.15 ₩10.9K

$2.27 ฿75.1

259.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.97 ₩8,002

$2.13 ฿70.4

180.28%

Potato (1kg)

$5.89 ₩7,893

$1.47 ฿48.72

300.68%

Onion (1kg)

$3.24 ₩4,350

$1.42 ฿46.92

128.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 ₩3,728

$1.10 ฿36.25

152.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 ₩1,718

$0.60 ฿19.76

113.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 ₩4,570

$4.31 ฿142

-20.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.78 ₩25.2K

$18.60 ฿615

0.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 ₩3,184

$1.80 ฿59.5

31.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 ₩4,074

$2.97 ฿98.0

2.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 ₩1,468

$2.25 ฿74.2

-51.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.51 ₩4,703

$3.10 ฿102

13.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 ₩978

$1.08 ฿35.56

-32.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.48 ₩22.1K

$3.87 ฿128

325.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ₩1,797

$1.43 ฿47.16

-6.29%

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

$29.6K ₩39.7M

$27.8K ฿918.0K

6.55%

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

$33.0K ₩44.3M

$27.0K ฿891.5K

22.40%

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

$199 ₩266.9K

$105 ฿3,462

89.90%

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

$27.02 ₩36.2K

$11.39 ฿376

137.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.48 ₩35.5K

$17.54 ฿580

50.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.92 ₩66.9K

$54.3 ฿1,795

-8.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.63 ₩16.9K

$11.44 ฿378

10.40%

Cinema Ticket

$11.94 ₩16.0K

$7.78 ฿257

53.47%

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

$625 ₩838.4K

$576 ฿19.0K

8.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.3K ₩28.6M

$11.6K ฿382.7K

83.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.4 ₩98.4K

$63.6 ฿2,103

15.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.67 ₩50.5K

$29.10 ฿961

29.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.5 ₩98.5K

$96.2 ฿3,179

-23.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₩150.9K

$90.0 ฿2,974

25.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 ₩625.8K

$733 ฿24.2K

-36.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$358 ₩480.2K

$501 ฿16.5K

-28.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 ₩1.3M

$2,126 ฿70.2K

-53.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$786 ₩1.1M

$1,252 ฿41.4K

-37.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,996 ₩9.4M

$3,534 ฿116.8K

97.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,425 ₩7.3M

$2,622 ฿86.6K

106.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,653 ₩2.2M

$508 ฿16.8K

225.72%

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 Chungju: September 6, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $467 in Chungju versus $733 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 226% higher in Chungju, 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 $48.00 in Chungju versus $32.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $456 vs $275 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Chungju vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chungju costs about 15% 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 $2,178 per month in Chungju and $1,898 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 $1,452 in Chungju and $1,265 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $625 per month in Chungju and $576 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 $1,265, than in Chungju at $1,452. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chungju it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,265 versus $1,452 in Chungju. 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, Chungju makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.