Cost of Living Comparison Between Gyeonggi and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Gyeonggi and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,420 in Gyeonggi versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,686 in Gyeonggi versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,952 in Gyeonggi versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Gyeonggi is roughly 12% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Gyeonggi is 6% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.13 ₩10.8K

$4.70 ฿153

51.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.9 ₩125.6K

$45.37 ฿1,482

82.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.54 ₩9,917

$8.43 ฿275

-22.42%

Cappuccino

$3.52 ₩5,340

$2.93 ฿95.6

20.14%

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

$1.39 ₩2,103

$0.69 ฿22.40

101.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₩1,066

$0.37 ฿11.99

89.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.37 ₩6,615

$2.41 ฿78.6

81.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 ₩4,521

$3.72 ฿122

-19.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 ₩3,293

$2.23 ฿72.9

-2.69%

White Bread (500g)

$3.05 ₩4,616

$1.83 ฿59.8

66.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.98 ₩4,523

$2.17 ฿70.8

37.33%

Eggs

$2.90 ₩4,399

$2.21 ฿72.3

31.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.53 ₩16.0K

$19.74 ฿645

-46.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.40 ₩12.7K

$3.63 ฿119

131.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.07 ₩41.0K

$13.53 ฿442

100.07%

Apples (1kg)

$11.12 ₩16.8K

$3.28 ฿107

239.02%

Banana (1kg)

$3.68 ₩5,583

$1.61 ฿52.6

128.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.38 ₩11.2K

$2.41 ฿78.6

206.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.12 ₩7,765

$2.08 ฿68.1

146.15%

Potato (1kg)

$3.87 ₩5,862

$1.53 ฿49.93

152.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 ₩4,462

$1.48 ฿48.36

98.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 ₩3,399

$0.99 ฿32.29

126.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 ₩1,749

$0.51 ฿16.67

125.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.23 ₩4,897

$4.41 ฿144

-26.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ₩2,840

$1.78 ฿58.1

5.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 ₩5,084

$2.71 ฿88.6

23.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 ₩1,613

$1.37 ฿44.79

-22.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 ₩4,814

$3.02 ฿98.6

5.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ₩871

$0.99 ฿32.48

-42.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.98 ₩13.6K

$14.10 ฿461

-36.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ₩2,058

$1.36 ฿44.51

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

$27.3K ₩41.4M

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-3.21%

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

$25.2K ₩38.2M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-23.32%

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

$186 ₩281.5K

$122 ฿3,975

52.67%

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

$39.84 ₩60.4K

$13.57 ฿443

193.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.67 ₩32.8K

$18.31 ฿598

18.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.4 ₩82.3K

$60.2 ฿1,967

-9.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$10.12 ₩15.3K

$8.69 ฿284

16.46%

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

$418 ₩632.9K

$693 ฿22.6K

-39.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.1K ₩35.0M

$15.7K ฿512.3K

47.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 ₩90.5K

$59.5 ฿1,944

0.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.44 ₩61.3K

$34.77 ฿1,136

16.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.4 ₩129.4K

$115 ฿3,743

-25.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 ₩173.7K

$83.3 ฿2,720

37.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$510 ₩773.4K

$613 ฿20.0K

-16.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$367 ₩555.4K

$437 ฿14.3K

-16.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 ₩3.1M

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-1.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,519 ₩2.3M

$1,509 ฿49.3K

0.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,043 ₩3.1M

$508 ฿16.6K

302.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.5

5.33

-34.33%

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

Last update for Gyeonggi: June 2, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $510 in Gyeonggi and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gyeonggi pays 302% 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: $83.0 in Gyeonggi vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $420 vs $293 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

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

Gyeonggi vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Gyeonggi pays 302% 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: $510 in Gyeonggi versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $418 in Gyeonggi versus $693 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $83.0 in Gyeonggi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,420 in Gyeonggi, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Gyeonggi. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Gyeonggi, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Gyeonggi 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 12% less than in Gyeonggi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.