Cost of Living Comparison Between Daejeon and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Daejeon and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,313 per month in Daejeon vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,057 per month in Daejeon vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,801 per month in Daejeon vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

Daejeon costs about 5% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Daejeon and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Daejeon 2% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.09 ₩10.6K

$4.55 ฿153

55.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.72 ₩54.6K

$46.18 ฿1,554

-20.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.34 ₩7,941

$8.84 ฿298

-39.59%

Cappuccino

$3.60 ₩5,350

$3.06 ฿103

17.65%

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

$1.53 ₩2,277

$0.73 ฿24.42

109.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₩1,235

$0.40 ฿13.40

107.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.29 ₩4,899

$2.43 ฿81.8

35.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.20 ₩7,739

$3.78 ฿127

37.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ₩3,197

$2.26 ฿76.0

-4.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.60 ₩3,864

$1.81 ฿60.9

43.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.58 ₩3,833

$2.25 ฿75.8

14.67%

Eggs

$2.65 ₩3,949

$2.25 ฿75.6

17.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.28 ₩15.3K

$19.51 ฿656

-47.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.03 ₩12.0K

$3.65 ฿123

120.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.44 ₩30.4K

$13.05 ฿439

56.63%

Apples (1kg)

$8.67 ₩12.9K

$3.23 ฿109

168.42%

Banana (1kg)

$3.10 ₩4,609

$1.62 ฿54.4

91.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.69 ₩8,468

$2.38 ฿80.2

139.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.11 ₩7,609

$2.03 ฿68.2

151.72%

Potato (1kg)

$5.27 ₩7,846

$1.53 ฿51.6

244.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.69 ₩4,002

$1.50 ฿50.5

79.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.90 ₩2,833

$0.98 ฿32.93

93.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₩1,732

$0.52 ฿17.40

123.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.36 ₩5,001

$4.44 ฿149

-24.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.66 ₩24.8K

$18.32 ฿616

-9.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ₩2,583

$1.86 ฿62.7

-6.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ₩5,022

$2.68 ฿90.2

25.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₩1,659

$1.41 ฿47.49

-20.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.98 ₩16.3K

$11.70 ฿394

-6.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.87 ₩4,269

$3.11 ฿105

-7.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ₩1,271

$1.04 ฿35.08

-18.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.46 ₩24.5K

$14.11 ฿475

16.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ₩1,743

$1.31 ฿44.13

-10.69%

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

$28.1K ₩41.8M

$27.8K ฿936.0K

0.95%

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

$11.0K ₩16.3M

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-66.98%

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

$167 ₩249.0K

$122 ฿4,120

36.65%

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

$43.98 ₩65.4K

$13.59 ฿457

223.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.74 ₩36.8K

$18.70 ฿629

32.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.64 ₩44.1K

$60.5 ฿2,035

-51.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.31 ₩33.2K

$16.98 ฿572

31.39%

Cinema Ticket

$10.84 ₩16.1K

$9.07 ฿305

19.51%

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

$283 ₩420.8K

$706 ฿23.8K

-59.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.2K ₩52.4M

$15.8K ฿531.8K

122.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ₩93.8K

$58.6 ฿1,970

7.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.67 ₩59.0K

$35.36 ฿1,190

12.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.4 ₩131.5K

$115 ฿3,885

-23.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 ₩157.6K

$83.7 ฿2,818

26.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$360 ₩536.0K

$626 ฿21.1K

-42.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ₩461.8K

$445 ฿15.0K

-30.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$933 ₩1.4M

$2,040 ฿68.7K

-54.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$616 ₩916.3K

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-58.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,089 ₩7.6M

$3,483 ฿117.2K

46.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,046 ₩6.0M

$2,577 ฿86.7K

57.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,132 ₩3.2M

$500 ฿16.8K

326.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.77

5.33

-29.27%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Daejeon: July 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $360 in Daejeon 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 327% higher in Daejeon, 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 Daejeon versus $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $402 in Daejeon 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

Daejeon vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Daejeon costs about 5% 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 $1,970 per month in Daejeon 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 $1,313 in Daejeon and $1,250 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 7% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,250, than in Daejeon at $1,313. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Daejeon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,250 versus $1,313 in Daejeon. 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, Daejeon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.