Cost of Living Comparison Between Mokpo and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Mokpo and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,456 per month in Mokpo vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,261 per month in Mokpo vs $2,255 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,067 per month in Mokpo vs $3,279 in Phuket, rent included.

Mokpo costs about 18% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mokpo sits 9% above the global median, while Phuket is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.34 ₩19.6K

$4.63 ฿151

188.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.13 ₩53.2K

$46.84 ฿1,523

-22.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.31 ₩7,819

$8.84 ฿287

-39.93%

Cappuccino

$3.78 ₩5,567

$3.00 ฿97.4

26.00%

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

$1.52 ₩2,240

$0.74 ฿24.11

105.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₩1,157

$0.37 ฿11.88

113.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 ₩4,905

$2.44 ฿79.3

36.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.02 ₩7,396

$3.61 ฿117

39.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 ₩3,310

$2.26 ฿73.5

-0.44%

White Bread (500g)

$3.15 ₩4,635

$1.84 ฿59.8

71.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.10 ₩4,568

$2.24 ฿73.0

38.39%

Eggs

$2.95 ₩4,354

$2.32 ฿75.3

27.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.62 ₩15.6K

$19.67 ฿639

-46.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.31 ₩12.2K

$3.65 ฿119

127.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.81 ₩41.0K

$13.10 ฿426

112.29%

Apples (1kg)

$7.96 ₩11.7K

$3.39 ฿110

134.81%

Banana (1kg)

$3.26 ₩4,798

$1.64 ฿53.4

98.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.53 ₩8,141

$2.41 ฿78.5

129.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.35 ₩7,883

$2.03 ฿66.0

163.55%

Potato (1kg)

$3.98 ₩5,866

$1.56 ฿50.6

155.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 ₩4,320

$1.50 ฿48.66

95.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 ₩3,198

$1.02 ฿33.30

112.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₩1,715

$0.49 ฿15.91

136.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.25 ₩4,782

$4.45 ฿145

-26.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.24 ₩22.5K

$18.88 ฿614

-19.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 ₩2,790

$1.78 ฿57.7

6.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 ₩4,888

$2.75 ฿89.5

20.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 ₩1,567

$1.40 ฿45.54

-24.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿373

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.43 ₩5,053

$3.12 ฿101

9.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ₩780

$1.00 ฿32.48

-47.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.02 ₩13.3K

$14.09 ฿458

-35.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ₩1,715

$1.35 ฿43.93

-14.07%

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

$27.5K ₩40.5M

$27.2K ฿883.7K

1.16%

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

$24.7K ₩36.4M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-24.98%

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

$163 ₩240.2K

$125 ฿4,063

30.42%

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

$35.17 ₩51.8K

$13.57 ฿441

159.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.64 ₩33.4K

$18.52 ฿602

22.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.24 ₩71.1K

$61.5 ฿1,999

-21.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

Cinema Ticket

$10.98 ₩16.2K

$9.19 ฿299

19.48%

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

$406 ₩598.1K

$698 ฿22.7K

-41.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.9K ₩35.2M

$15.6K ฿506.9K

53.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.7 ₩74.8K

$57.8 ฿1,878

-12.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.68 ₩70.3K

$35.24 ฿1,146

35.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.6 ₩118.8K

$113 ฿3,677

-28.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 ₩169.6K

$86.4 ฿2,808

33.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$449 ₩661.4K

$616 ฿20.0K

-27.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$383 ₩563.9K

$446 ฿14.5K

-14.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,070 ₩1.6M

$2,048 ฿66.6K

-47.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$764 ₩1.1M

$1,492 ฿48.5K

-48.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,807 ₩14.4M

$3,779 ฿122.8K

159.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,109 ₩7.5M

$2,649 ฿86.1K

92.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.0K

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 Mokpo: April 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $449 in Mokpo 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Mokpo versus $47.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $430 in Mokpo 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

Mokpo vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mokpo is pricier by about 18%, 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 $2,183 per month in Mokpo 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,456 in Mokpo and $1,232 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $406 per month in Mokpo and $698 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,232, than in Mokpo at $1,456. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mokpo 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, Mokpo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.