Cost of Living Comparison Between Iksan and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Iksan and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,402 per month in Iksan vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,177 per month in Iksan vs $2,255 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,952 per month in Iksan vs $3,279 in Phuket, rent included.

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

Iksan sits 5% above the global median, while Phuket is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.28 ₩10.8K

$4.63 ฿151

57.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.27 ₩55.3K

$46.84 ฿1,532

-20.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.43 ₩8,052

$8.84 ฿289

-38.57%

Cappuccino

$3.76 ₩5,575

$3.00 ฿98.0

25.33%

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

$1.53 ₩2,270

$0.74 ฿24.25

106.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₩1,163

$0.37 ฿11.95

110.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 ₩4,795

$2.44 ฿79.8

32.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 ₩7,273

$3.61 ฿118

35.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 ₩3,324

$2.26 ฿73.9

-0.88%

White Bread (500g)

$3.09 ₩4,584

$1.84 ฿60.1

67.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.97 ₩4,405

$2.24 ฿73.4

32.59%

Eggs

$2.92 ₩4,325

$2.32 ฿75.7

25.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.41 ₩15.4K

$19.67 ฿643

-47.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.21 ₩12.2K

$3.65 ฿119

124.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.85 ₩41.3K

$13.10 ฿428

112.60%

Apples (1kg)

$7.98 ₩11.8K

$3.39 ฿111

135.40%

Banana (1kg)

$3.15 ₩4,668

$1.64 ฿53.7

92.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.59 ₩8,287

$2.41 ฿79.0

131.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.33 ₩7,905

$2.03 ฿66.4

162.56%

Potato (1kg)

$3.98 ₩5,900

$1.56 ฿50.9

155.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.99 ₩4,429

$1.50 ฿48.94

99.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 ₩3,279

$1.02 ฿33.50

116.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 ₩1,708

$0.49 ฿16.00

134.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.22 ₩4,779

$4.45 ฿145

-27.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.53 ₩23.0K

$18.88 ฿617

-17.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 ₩2,811

$1.78 ฿58.1

6.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ₩4,765

$2.75 ฿90.1

16.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.07 ₩1,587

$1.40 ฿45.81

-23.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.59 ₩5,329

$3.12 ฿102

15.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ₩798

$1.00 ฿32.67

-46.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.94 ₩13.3K

$14.09 ฿461

-36.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ₩1,741

$1.35 ฿44.19

-13.33%

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

$27.5K ₩40.8M

$27.2K ฿888.9K

1.09%

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

$25.3K ₩37.5M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-23.15%

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

$166 ₩246.9K

$125 ฿4,087

33.17%

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

$34.46 ₩51.1K

$13.57 ฿444

153.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.11 ₩32.8K

$18.52 ฿606

19.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.61 ₩70.6K

$61.5 ฿2,010

-22.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

Cinema Ticket

$10.88 ₩16.1K

$9.19 ฿300

18.39%

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

$410 ₩607.5K

$698 ฿22.8K

-41.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K ₩34.5M

$15.6K ฿509.9K

49.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ₩88.2K

$57.8 ฿1,889

2.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.97 ₩69.7K

$35.24 ฿1,152

33.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 ₩116.5K

$113 ฿3,699

-30.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 ₩174.9K

$86.4 ฿2,825

36.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$448 ₩664.5K

$616 ฿20.1K

-27.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 ₩553.9K

$446 ฿14.6K

-16.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,044 ₩1.5M

$2,048 ฿67.0K

-49.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$771 ₩1.1M

$1,492 ฿48.8K

-48.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,986 ₩14.8M

$3,779 ฿123.6K

164.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,551 ₩9.7M

$2,649 ฿86.6K

147.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,582 ₩2.3M

$524 ฿17.1K

201.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

5.33

-22.33%

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

Last update for Iksan: April 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $448 in Iksan 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 202% higher in Iksan, 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 Iksan versus $47.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $428 in Iksan 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

Iksan vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Iksan 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 $2,103 per month in Iksan 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Iksan and $47.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 46% more in Iksan, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,232, than in Iksan at $1,402. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Iksan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,232 versus $1,402 in Iksan. 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, Iksan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.