Cost of Living Comparison Between Ilsan and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Ilsan and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,509 in Ilsan versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,401 in Ilsan versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Ilsan versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Ilsan is roughly 20% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ilsan is 12% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.24 ₩11.0K

$4.56 ฿149

58.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.1 ₩85.2K

$46.63 ฿1,519

20.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.51 ₩9,893

$8.47 ฿276

-23.14%

Cappuccino

$3.88 ₩5,897

$3.03 ฿98.6

28.05%

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

$1.67 ₩2,539

$0.69 ฿22.45

142.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₩1,131

$0.37 ฿11.92

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.74 ₩5,678

$2.49 ฿81.0

50.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 ₩8,878

$3.66 ฿119

59.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ₩3,266

$2.18 ฿71.0

-1.38%

White Bread (500g)

$3.45 ₩5,244

$1.90 ฿62.0

81.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.11 ₩4,727

$2.20 ฿71.6

41.36%

Eggs

$3.04 ₩4,616

$2.22 ฿72.4

36.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.52 ₩22.1K

$19.99 ฿651

-27.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.90 ₩16.6K

$3.66 ฿119

197.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.53 ₩52.4K

$13.25 ฿432

160.60%

Apples (1kg)

$8.00 ₩12.1K

$3.23 ฿105

147.68%

Banana (1kg)

$3.45 ₩5,234

$1.70 ฿55.3

102.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.71 ₩8,669

$2.39 ฿78.0

138.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.38 ₩9,692

$2.08 ฿67.7

206.73%

Potato (1kg)

$3.86 ₩5,856

$1.59 ฿51.8

142.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 ₩4,442

$1.48 ฿48.31

97.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 ₩4,001

$1.03 ฿33.54

155.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₩1,760

$0.52 ฿16.83

123.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.23 ₩4,899

$4.25 ฿138

-24.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.64 ₩25.3K

$18.79 ฿612

-11.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 ₩3,732

$1.76 ฿57.2

39.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 ₩4,953

$2.76 ฿89.8

18.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 ₩1,671

$1.36 ฿44.32

-19.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.85 ₩72.7K

$11.36 ฿370

321.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 ₩3,590

$3.14 ฿102

-24.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 ₩852

$1.04 ฿33.74

-46.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.56 ₩13.0K

$13.77 ฿448

-37.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₩1,654

$1.34 ฿43.79

-18.66%

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

$28.0K ₩42.6M

$27.7K ฿901.4K

1.32%

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

$24.7K ₩37.5M

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-27.03%

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

$162 ₩246.1K

$124 ฿4,025

31.10%

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

$34.84 ₩52.9K

$13.52 ฿440

157.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.09 ₩33.5K

$18.69 ฿609

18.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.96 ₩71.3K

$61.8 ฿2,013

-24.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$10.97 ₩16.7K

$9.14 ฿298

20.02%

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

$416 ₩631.5K

$703 ฿22.9K

-40.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K ₩35.7M

$15.9K ฿517.0K

48.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 ₩90.9K

$59.5 ฿1,937

0.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.09 ₩71.5K

$35.07 ฿1,142

34.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.9 ₩122.9K

$115 ฿3,754

-29.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 ₩179.8K

$84.1 ฿2,737

40.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$460 ₩698.3K

$619 ฿20.1K

-25.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$382 ₩579.8K

$433 ฿14.1K

-11.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,080 ₩1.6M

$2,062 ฿67.2K

-47.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$770 ₩1.2M

$1,511 ฿49.2K

-49.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,626 ₩14.6M

$3,646 ฿118.7K

164.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,315 ₩8.1M

$2,626 ฿85.5K

102.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,086 ₩4.7M

$507 ฿16.5K

508.77%

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 Ilsan: June 7, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $460 in Ilsan and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ilsan pays 509% 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: $56.0 in Ilsan vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $492 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

Ilsan vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Ilsan pays 509% 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: $460 in Ilsan versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,509 per month in Ilsan versus $1,261 in Phuket – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 321% less than in Ilsan. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,509 in Ilsan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Ilsan. 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 Ilsan, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ilsan 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 20% less than in Ilsan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.