Cost of Living Comparison Between Incheon and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Incheon and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,375 per month in Incheon vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,148 per month in Incheon vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,922 per month in Incheon vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

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

Incheon sits 3% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.79 ₩10.3K

$4.70 ฿153

44.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.29 ₩55.0K

$45.37 ฿1,482

-20.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.43 ₩9,744

$8.43 ฿275

-23.72%

Cappuccino

$3.59 ₩5,443

$2.93 ฿95.6

22.53%

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

$1.37 ₩2,070

$0.69 ฿22.40

98.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₩995

$0.37 ฿11.99

78.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 ₩4,775

$2.41 ฿78.6

30.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 ₩6,651

$3.72 ฿122

18.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 ₩3,396

$2.23 ฿72.9

0.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.98 ₩4,512

$1.83 ฿59.8

62.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.74 ₩4,154

$2.17 ฿70.8

26.27%

Eggs

$3.17 ₩4,803

$2.21 ฿72.3

43.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.06 ₩21.3K

$19.74 ฿645

-28.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.90 ₩10.5K

$3.63 ฿119

90.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.46 ₩20.4K

$13.53 ฿442

-0.52%

Apples (1kg)

$7.32 ₩11.1K

$3.28 ฿107

123.17%

Banana (1kg)

$2.89 ₩4,377

$1.61 ฿52.6

79.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.60 ₩8,484

$2.41 ฿78.6

132.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.44 ₩9,763

$2.08 ฿68.1

209.62%

Potato (1kg)

$3.38 ₩5,122

$1.53 ฿49.93

120.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 ₩2,998

$1.48 ฿48.36

33.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 ₩3,001

$0.99 ฿32.29

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 ₩1,928

$0.51 ฿16.67

149.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.25 ₩4,924

$4.41 ฿144

-26.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.66 ₩25.2K

$19.38 ฿633

-14.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 ₩3,004

$1.78 ฿58.1

11.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 ₩2,751

$2.71 ฿88.6

-32.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 ₩1,600

$1.37 ฿44.79

-22.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.46 ₩38.6K

$11.39 ฿372

123.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 ₩5,231

$3.02 ฿98.6

14.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 ₩793

$0.99 ฿32.48

-47.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.61 ₩13.1K

$14.10 ฿461

-38.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₩1,882

$1.36 ฿44.51

-8.82%

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

$27.7K ₩42.0M

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-1.83%

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

$13.8K ₩21.0M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-57.98%

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

$161 ₩244.2K

$122 ฿3,975

32.42%

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

$34.95 ₩53.0K

$13.57 ฿443

157.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.75 ₩31.4K

$18.31 ฿598

13.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.81 ₩49.7K

$60.2 ฿1,967

-45.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.34 ₩56.6K

$17.14 ฿560

117.85%

Cinema Ticket

$11.20 ₩17.0K

$8.69 ฿284

28.88%

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

$263 ₩399.0K

$693 ฿22.6K

-62.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K ₩16.9M

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-29.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 ₩87.9K

$59.5 ฿1,944

-2.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.48 ₩73.5K

$34.77 ฿1,136

39.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.2 ₩100.2K

$115 ฿3,743

-42.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 ₩156.5K

$83.3 ฿2,720

24.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$669 ₩1.0M

$613 ฿20.0K

9.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$392 ₩593.5K

$437 ฿14.3K

-10.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,361 ₩2.1M

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-35.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$784 ₩1.2M

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-48.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,099 ₩9.2M

$3,749 ฿122.5K

62.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,974 ₩7.5M

$2,616 ฿85.4K

90.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,186 ₩3.3M

$508 ฿16.6K

330.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.1

5.33

-23.08%

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

Last update for Incheon: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $669 in Incheon versus $613 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 330% higher in Incheon, 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 $36.00 in Incheon versus $45.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $386 in Incheon vs $293 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

Incheon vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Incheon is pricier by about 9%, 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 $2,062 per month in Incheon and $1,898 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 $36.00 in Incheon and $45.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,375 in Incheon and $1,265 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Incheon at $1,375. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Incheon 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, Incheon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.