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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,376 per month in Iksan vs $1,264 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,156 per month in Iksan vs $2,256 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,936 per month in Iksan vs $3,248 in Phuket, rent included.

Iksan costs about 9% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Iksan sits 3% above the global median, while Phuket is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.34 ₩10.6K

$4.48 ฿150

63.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.61 ₩52.6K

$45.59 ฿1,521

-19.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.41 ₩7,775

$8.76 ฿292

-38.24%

Cappuccino

$3.84 ₩5,526

$2.97 ฿99.0

29.29%

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

$1.58 ₩2,277

$0.69 ฿22.90

128.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₩1,145

$0.39 ฿13.04

105.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 ₩4,823

$2.53 ฿84.4

32.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.01 ₩7,212

$3.75 ฿125

33.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₩3,074

$2.15 ฿71.6

-0.47%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 ₩4,478

$1.82 ฿60.6

70.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.13 ₩4,503

$2.18 ฿72.9

43.58%

Eggs

$2.97 ₩4,277

$2.25 ฿75.0

32.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.50 ₩15.1K

$20.00 ฿667

-47.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.13 ₩11.7K

$3.63 ฿121

123.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.56 ₩39.6K

$13.56 ฿452

103.24%

Apples (1kg)

$8.03 ₩11.5K

$3.24 ฿108

147.84%

Banana (1kg)

$3.23 ₩4,650

$1.64 ฿54.6

96.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.49 ₩7,891

$2.33 ฿77.8

135.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.17 ₩7,440

$2.07 ฿69.1

149.76%

Potato (1kg)

$4.03 ₩5,792

$1.55 ฿51.6

160.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 ₩4,223

$1.46 ฿48.54

101.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 ₩3,255

$0.98 ฿32.86

130.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₩1,747

$0.48 ฿16.09

152.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.22 ₩4,632

$4.35 ฿145

-25.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.08 ₩24.6K

$18.57 ฿620

-8.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ₩2,578

$1.86 ฿61.9

-3.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ₩4,596

$2.65 ฿88.6

20.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₩1,609

$1.42 ฿47.28

-21.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.59 ₩5,158

$3.17 ฿106

13.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ₩824

$1.03 ฿34.41

-44.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.90 ₩12.8K

$13.89 ฿463

-35.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₩1,736

$1.34 ฿44.84

-9.70%

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

$27.2K ₩39.2M

$27.8K ฿927.1K

-1.95%

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

$25.2K ₩36.2M

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-24.58%

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

$167 ₩239.5K

$123 ฿4,105

35.35%

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

$34.41 ₩49.5K

$13.77 ฿459

149.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.37 ₩32.2K

$18.33 ฿611

22.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.22 ₩67.9K

$60.7 ฿2,025

-22.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$11.23 ₩16.2K

$8.87 ฿296

26.61%

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

$421 ₩606.2K

$688 ฿22.9K

-38.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K ₩34.2M

$15.8K ฿526.4K

50.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 ₩86.4K

$59.3 ฿1,978

1.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.03 ₩67.6K

$34.69 ฿1,157

35.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.1 ₩116.7K

$115 ฿3,843

-29.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 ₩167.5K

$83.8 ฿2,794

39.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$457 ₩656.7K

$621 ฿20.7K

-26.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 ₩536.0K

$446 ฿14.9K

-16.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,077 ₩1.5M

$2,034 ฿67.8K

-47.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$778 ₩1.1M

$1,496 ฿49.9K

-48.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,794 ₩11.2M

$3,455 ฿115.3K

125.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,824 ₩6.9M

$2,531 ฿84.4K

90.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,564 ₩2.2M

$494 ฿16.5K

216.84%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $457 in Iksan versus $621 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 217% 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 $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $430 in Iksan vs $291 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 9% 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 $2,064 per month in Iksan and $1,896 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 $46.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 48% 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 $1,264, than in Iksan at $1,376. 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 $1,264 versus $1,376 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.