Cost of Living Comparison Between Gongju and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Gongju and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,513 per month in Gongju vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,375 per month in Gongju vs $2,255 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,237 per month in Gongju vs $3,279 in Phuket, rent included.

Gongju costs about 23% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Gongju sits 13% above the global median, while Phuket is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.06 ₩10.4K

$4.63 ฿151

52.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.91 ₩54.4K

$46.84 ฿1,523

-21.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.90 ₩8,689

$8.84 ฿287

-33.26%

Cappuccino

$4.22 ₩6,222

$3.00 ฿97.4

40.67%

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

$1.87 ₩2,760

$0.74 ฿24.11

152.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 ₩2,045

$0.37 ฿11.88

275.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 ₩5,461

$2.44 ฿79.3

52.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.98 ₩8,807

$3.61 ฿117

65.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.34 ₩3,443

$2.26 ฿73.5

3.54%

White Bread (500g)

$3.54 ₩5,221

$1.84 ฿59.8

92.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.11 ₩4,585

$2.24 ฿73.0

38.84%

Eggs

$2.89 ₩4,261

$2.32 ฿75.3

24.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.53 ₩15.5K

$19.67 ฿639

-46.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.41 ₩12.4K

$3.65 ฿119

130.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.77 ₩40.9K

$13.10 ฿426

111.98%

Apples (1kg)

$8.49 ₩12.5K

$3.39 ฿110

150.44%

Banana (1kg)

$3.12 ₩4,593

$1.64 ฿53.4

90.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.43 ₩10.9K

$2.41 ฿78.5

208.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.18 ₩7,629

$2.03 ฿66.0

155.17%

Potato (1kg)

$5.21 ₩7,677

$1.56 ฿50.6

233.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 ₩4,295

$1.50 ฿48.66

94.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 ₩3,100

$1.02 ฿33.30

105.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₩1,769

$0.49 ฿15.91

144.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.39 ₩4,988

$4.45 ฿145

-23.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.24 ₩25.4K

$18.88 ฿614

-8.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 ₩2,517

$1.78 ฿57.7

-3.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ₩4,960

$2.75 ฿89.5

22.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 ₩1,563

$1.40 ฿45.54

-24.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿373

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 ₩5,246

$3.12 ฿101

14.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 ₩1,165

$1.00 ฿32.48

-21.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.74 ₩24.7K

$14.09 ฿458

18.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ₩1,804

$1.35 ฿43.93

-9.63%

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

$27.9K ₩41.1M

$27.2K ฿883.7K

2.51%

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

$24.5K ₩36.2M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-25.43%

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

$188 ₩277.1K

$125 ฿4,063

50.51%

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

$49.50 ₩72.9K

$13.57 ฿441

264.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.76 ₩40.9K

$18.52 ฿602

49.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.01 ₩69.3K

$61.5 ฿1,999

-23.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

Cinema Ticket

$11.43 ₩16.8K

$9.19 ฿299

24.37%

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

$496 ₩730.5K

$698 ฿22.7K

-28.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K ₩21.0M

$15.6K ฿506.9K

-8.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 ₩152.9K

$57.8 ฿1,878

79.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.40 ₩69.8K

$35.24 ฿1,146

34.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.8 ₩129.3K

$113 ฿3,677

-22.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 ₩174.3K

$86.4 ฿2,808

36.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$452 ₩665.3K

$616 ฿20.0K

-26.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 ₩545.2K

$446 ฿14.5K

-17.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,059 ₩1.6M

$2,048 ฿66.6K

-48.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$762 ₩1.1M

$1,492 ฿48.5K

-48.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,654 ₩14.2M

$3,779 ฿122.8K

155.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,717 ₩8.4M

$2,649 ฿86.1K

115.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,168 ₩1.7M

$524 ฿17.0K

123.01%

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 Gongju: April 25, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $452 in Gongju versus $616 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 123% higher in Gongju, 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 Gongju versus $47.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $451 in Gongju vs $292 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

Gongju vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,513 in Gongju, $1,232 in Phuket – roughly 23% apart. Gongju costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,269 per month in Gongju and $1,847 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 $1,513 in Gongju and $1,232 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $496 per month in Gongju and $698 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 $1,232, than in Gongju at $1,513. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Gongju it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,232 in Phuket to $1,513 in Gongju. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Gongju makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.