Cost of Living Comparison Between Jinju and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Jinju and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,469 per month in Jinju vs $1,261 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,390 per month in Jinju vs $2,286 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,311 per month in Jinju vs $3,310 in Phuket, rent included.

Jinju costs about 16% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Jinju sits 9% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.01 ₩13.7K

$4.56 ฿149

97.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.5 ₩82.8K

$46.63 ฿1,519

16.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.49 ₩9,862

$8.47 ฿276

-23.38%

Cappuccino

$3.87 ₩5,881

$3.03 ฿98.6

27.72%

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

$1.68 ₩2,557

$0.69 ฿22.45

143.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₩1,217

$0.37 ฿11.92

116.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.58 ₩5,430

$2.49 ฿81.0

43.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.03 ₩9,161

$3.66 ฿119

64.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ₩3,312

$2.18 ฿71.0

White Bread (500g)

$3.47 ₩5,272

$1.90 ฿62.0

82.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.09 ₩4,686

$2.20 ฿71.6

40.45%

Eggs

$3.15 ₩4,777

$2.22 ฿72.4

41.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.35 ₩21.8K

$19.99 ฿651

-28.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.75 ₩16.3K

$3.66 ฿119

193.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$33.49 ₩50.9K

$13.25 ฿432

152.75%

Apples (1kg)

$8.06 ₩12.2K

$3.23 ฿105

149.54%

Banana (1kg)

$3.45 ₩5,233

$1.70 ฿55.3

102.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.69 ₩8,633

$2.39 ฿78.0

138.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.39 ₩9,707

$2.08 ฿67.7

207.21%

Potato (1kg)

$3.98 ₩6,044

$1.59 ฿51.8

150.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.83 ₩4,303

$1.48 ฿48.31

91.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.62 ₩3,983

$1.03 ฿33.54

154.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₩1,831

$0.52 ฿16.83

132.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.26 ₩4,953

$4.25 ฿138

-23.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.35 ₩29.4K

$18.79 ฿612

2.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₩3,670

$1.76 ฿57.2

37.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 ₩4,949

$2.76 ฿89.8

18.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.07 ₩1,621

$1.36 ฿44.32

-21.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.51 ₩5,336

$3.14 ฿102

11.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 ₩795

$1.04 ฿33.74

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.67 ₩13.2K

$13.77 ฿448

-37.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₩1,887

$1.34 ฿43.79

-7.46%

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

$28.1K ₩42.6M

$27.7K ฿901.4K

1.47%

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

$25.1K ₩38.1M

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-25.90%

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

$166 ₩251.4K

$124 ฿4,025

33.93%

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

$34.74 ₩52.8K

$13.52 ฿440

156.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.03 ₩33.5K

$18.69 ฿609

17.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.01 ₩72.9K

$61.8 ฿2,013

-22.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 ₩16.5K

$9.14 ฿298

18.93%

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

$406 ₩617.2K

$703 ฿22.9K

-42.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.0K ₩35.0M

$15.9K ฿517.0K

45.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 ₩88.1K

$59.5 ฿1,937

-2.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.91 ₩71.2K

$35.07 ฿1,142

33.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.0 ₩119.9K

$115 ฿3,754

-31.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 ₩177.0K

$84.1 ฿2,737

38.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$457 ₩694.2K

$619 ฿20.1K

-26.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$372 ₩565.4K

$433 ฿14.1K

-13.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,066 ₩1.6M

$2,062 ฿67.2K

-48.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$760 ₩1.2M

$1,511 ฿49.2K

-49.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,481 ₩12.9M

$3,646 ฿118.7K

132.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,988 ₩9.1M

$2,626 ฿85.5K

128.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

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 Jinju: June 6, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $457 in Jinju versus $619 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Jinju versus $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $494 vs $293 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Jinju vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Jinju is pricier by about 16%, 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 $2,203 per month in Jinju and $1,892 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 $54.0 in Jinju 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 69% more in Jinju, 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 $1,261, than in Jinju at $1,469. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Jinju 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, Jinju makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.