Cost of Living Comparison Between Gyeongju and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Gyeongju and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,467 per month in Gyeongju vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,313 per month in Gyeongju vs $2,255 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,159 per month in Gyeongju vs $3,279 in Phuket, rent included.

Gyeongju costs about 19% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Gyeongju sits 10% above the global median, while Phuket is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.34 ₩10.8K

$4.63 ฿151

58.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.51 ₩53.8K

$46.84 ฿1,523

-22.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.04 ₩8,905

$8.84 ฿287

-31.67%

Cappuccino

$4.23 ₩6,228

$3.00 ฿97.4

41.00%

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

$1.79 ₩2,639

$0.74 ฿24.11

141.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 ₩1,969

$0.37 ฿11.88

262.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.58 ₩5,280

$2.44 ฿79.3

46.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 ₩8,746

$3.61 ฿117

64.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 ₩3,426

$2.26 ฿73.5

3.10%

White Bread (500g)

$3.49 ₩5,144

$1.84 ฿59.8

89.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.04 ₩4,474

$2.24 ฿73.0

35.71%

Eggs

$2.92 ₩4,308

$2.32 ฿75.3

25.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.43 ₩15.4K

$19.67 ฿639

-46.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.04 ₩11.8K

$3.65 ฿119

120.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.01 ₩41.3K

$13.10 ฿426

113.82%

Apples (1kg)

$8.58 ₩12.6K

$3.39 ฿110

153.10%

Banana (1kg)

$3.21 ₩4,733

$1.64 ฿53.4

95.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.60 ₩11.2K

$2.41 ฿78.5

215.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.12 ₩7,546

$2.03 ฿66.0

152.22%

Potato (1kg)

$5.19 ₩7,647

$1.56 ฿50.6

232.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 ₩4,340

$1.50 ฿48.66

96.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 ₩2,959

$1.02 ฿33.30

97.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 ₩1,719

$0.49 ฿15.91

138.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.24 ₩4,769

$4.45 ฿145

-27.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.78 ₩20.3K

$18.88 ฿614

-27.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₩2,574

$1.78 ฿57.7

-1.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 ₩4,873

$2.75 ฿89.5

20.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.07 ₩1,578

$1.40 ฿45.54

-23.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿373

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 ₩4,400

$3.12 ฿101

-4.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 ₩1,183

$1.00 ฿32.48

-20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.52 ₩24.3K

$14.09 ฿458

17.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₩1,789

$1.35 ฿43.93

-10.37%

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

$27.8K ₩41.0M

$27.2K ฿883.7K

2.25%

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

$25.0K ₩36.8M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-24.07%

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

$187 ₩275.2K

$125 ฿4,063

49.43%

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

$47.04 ₩69.3K

$13.57 ฿441

246.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.13 ₩40.0K

$18.52 ฿602

46.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.27 ₩71.1K

$61.5 ฿1,999

-21.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

Cinema Ticket

$10.99 ₩16.2K

$9.19 ฿299

19.59%

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

$492 ₩724.6K

$698 ฿22.7K

-29.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.1K ₩20.7M

$15.6K ฿506.9K

-9.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 ₩154.5K

$57.8 ฿1,878

81.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.66 ₩68.7K

$35.24 ฿1,146

32.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.9 ₩131.0K

$113 ฿3,677

-21.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 ₩174.6K

$86.4 ฿2,808

37.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$459 ₩676.2K

$616 ฿20.0K

-25.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 ₩549.3K

$446 ฿14.5K

-16.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,044 ₩1.5M

$2,048 ฿66.6K

-49.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$781 ₩1.2M

$1,492 ฿48.5K

-47.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,580 ₩12.6M

$3,779 ฿122.8K

127.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,395 ₩7.9M

$2,649 ฿86.1K

103.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,692 ₩2.5M

$524 ฿17.0K

223.10%

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 Gyeongju: April 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $459 in Gyeongju 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 223% higher in Gyeongju, 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 Gyeongju versus $47.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $442 in Gyeongju 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

Gyeongju vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Gyeongju is pricier by about 19%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,200 per month in Gyeongju 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 $1,467 in Gyeongju and $1,232 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $492 per month in Gyeongju 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 Gyeongju at $1,467. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Gyeongju it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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