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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,444 per month in Chungju vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,257 per month in Chungju vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,070 per month in Chungju vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Chungju costs about 14% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Chungju sits 8% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.08 ₩10.7K

$4.70 ฿153

50.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.13 ₩56.3K

$45.37 ฿1,482

-18.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.89 ₩8,920

$8.43 ฿275

-30.13%

Cappuccino

$4.19 ₩6,355

$2.93 ฿95.6

43.00%

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

$1.79 ₩2,717

$0.69 ฿22.40

159.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 ₩2,024

$0.37 ฿11.99

262.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.58 ₩5,426

$2.41 ฿78.6

48.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.01 ₩9,105

$3.72 ฿122

61.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ₩3,308

$2.23 ฿72.9

-2.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.93 ₩4,434

$1.83 ฿59.8

60.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.00 ₩4,551

$2.17 ฿70.8

38.25%

Eggs

$2.93 ₩4,435

$2.21 ฿72.3

32.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.32 ₩15.6K

$19.74 ฿645

-47.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.24 ₩11.0K

$3.63 ฿119

99.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.57 ₩41.8K

$13.53 ฿442

103.77%

Apples (1kg)

$8.26 ₩12.5K

$3.28 ฿107

151.83%

Banana (1kg)

$3.13 ₩4,741

$1.61 ฿52.6

94.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.50 ₩11.4K

$2.41 ฿78.6

211.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.13 ₩7,773

$2.08 ฿68.1

146.63%

Potato (1kg)

$5.02 ₩7,602

$1.53 ฿49.93

228.10%

Onion (1kg)

$3.05 ₩4,617

$1.48 ฿48.36

106.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.12 ₩3,210

$0.99 ฿32.29

114.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₩1,826

$0.51 ฿16.67

137.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.35 ₩5,069

$4.41 ฿144

-24.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.85 ₩25.5K

$19.38 ฿633

-13.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₩2,649

$1.78 ฿58.1

-1.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 ₩4,567

$2.71 ฿88.6

11.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₩1,698

$1.37 ฿44.79

-18.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 ₩5,454

$3.02 ฿98.6

19.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 ₩1,202

$0.99 ฿32.48

-20.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.72 ₩25.3K

$14.10 ฿461

18.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₩1,837

$1.36 ฿44.51

-11.03%

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

$27.7K ₩42.0M

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-1.83%

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

$25.4K ₩38.4M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-22.93%

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

$191 ₩289.5K

$122 ฿3,975

57.00%

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

$26.69 ₩40.4K

$13.57 ฿443

96.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.92 ₩42.3K

$18.31 ฿598

52.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.03 ₩71.3K

$60.2 ฿1,967

-21.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$11.44 ₩17.3K

$8.69 ฿284

31.65%

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

$482 ₩730.8K

$693 ฿22.6K

-30.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K ₩21.7M

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-8.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.9 ₩110.5K

$59.5 ฿1,944

22.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.11 ₩56.2K

$34.77 ฿1,136

6.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.9 ₩112.0K

$115 ฿3,743

-35.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 ₩166.4K

$83.3 ฿2,720

31.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 ₩674.2K

$613 ฿20.0K

-27.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 ₩560.8K

$437 ฿14.3K

-15.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,061 ₩1.6M

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-49.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$761 ₩1.2M

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-49.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,806 ₩14.9M

$3,749 ฿122.5K

161.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,616 ₩7.0M

$2,616 ฿85.4K

76.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,487 ₩2.3M

$508 ฿16.6K

192.59%

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 Chungju: May 30, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $445 in Chungju versus $613 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 193% 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 $37.00 in Chungju versus $45.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $433 in Chungju vs $293 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

Chungju vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chungju costs about 14% 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 $2,166 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 $1,444 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 $482 per month in Chungju and $693 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 $1,444. 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 $1,444 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.