Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Busan Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Busan

🙂 Solo nomad: Phuket is 29.9% cheaper than Busan without rent, and 16% cheaper with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Phuket is 27.9% cheaper than Busan without rent, and 4.4% more expensive with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Busan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.68 ฿151
$7.2 ₩9,768
-35.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.4 ฿1,502
$36.37 ₩49.3K
27.58%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.65 ฿280
$6.2 ₩8,418
39.52%
Cappuccino
$3.09 ฿100
$4.16 ₩5,643
-25.72%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73 ฿23.53
$1.81 ₩2,461
-59.67%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 ฿11.95
$1.39 ₩1,885
-73.38%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.39 ฿77.4
$3.6 ₩4,879
-33.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.62 ฿117
$5.77 ₩7,828
-37.26%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Busan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.24 ฿72.5
$2.23 ₩3,027
0.45%
White Bread (500g)
$1.8 ฿58.2
$3.56 ₩4,830
-49.44%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.24 ฿72.3
$2.97 ₩4,027
-24.58%
Eggs
$2.23 ฿72.1
$2.87 ₩3,898
-22.30%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.31 ฿625
$10.4 ₩14.1K
85.67%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.77 ฿122
$8.29 ₩11.2K
-54.52%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.05 ฿422
$28.01 ₩38K
-53.41%
Apples (1kg)
$3.28 ฿106
$8.24 ₩11.2K
-60.19%
Banana (1kg)
$1.63 ฿52.6
$3.14 ₩4,267
-48.09%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.4 ฿77.7
$7.57 ₩10.3K
-68.30%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.99 ฿64.3
$5.31 ₩7,204
-62.52%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 ฿49.62
$5 ₩6,786
-69.40%
Onion (1kg)
$1.49 ฿48.11
$2.99 ₩4,061
-50.17%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.02 ฿32.87
$2.09 ₩2,837
-51.20%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48 ฿15.61
$1.17 ₩1,584
-58.97%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.32 ฿140
$3.34 ₩4,535
29.34%
Wine (Bottle)
$21.68 ฿702
$13.92 ₩18.9K
55.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 ฿57.3
$1.75 ₩2,377
1.14%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.79 ฿90.4
$3.46 ₩4,695
-19.36%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Busan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.35 ฿43.74
$1.12 ₩1,520
20.54%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.76 ฿380
$43.34 ₩58.8K
-72.87%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.15 ฿102
$3.58 ₩4,854
-12.01%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1 ฿32.3
$0.85 ₩1,160
17.65%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.64 ฿442
$16.71 ₩22.7K
-18.37%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.3 ฿42.2
$1.22 ₩1,658
6.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.4K ฿885.2K
$28.2K ₩38.3M
-2.97%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.9K ฿1.1M
$24.9K ₩33.7M
36.36%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Busan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$123 ฿3,970
$189 ₩256K
-34.97%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.93 ฿451
$50.5 ₩68.5K
-72.42%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.24 ฿590
$27.23 ₩36.9K
-33.02%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Busan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.8 ฿1,966
$52.7 ₩71.4K
15.38%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.11 ฿554
$13.41 ₩18.2K
27.59%
Cinema Ticket
$9.07 ฿294
$11.46 ₩15.6K
-20.86%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Busan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$694 ฿22.5K
$485 ₩658.4K
43.06%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.9K ฿514.4K
$14.3K ₩19.4M
11.40%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Busan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.5 ฿1,861
$104 ₩141K
-44.66%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.51 ฿1,117
$65.1 ₩88.3K
-46.96%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 ฿3,727
$88.6 ₩120.3K
29.93%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.8 ฿2,743
$119 ₩161.9K
-28.97%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Busan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$611 ฿19.8K
$500 ₩678.1K
22.26%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$442 ฿14.3K
$319 ₩432.3K
38.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,014 ฿65.2K
$997 ₩1.4M
102.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,460 ฿47.2K
$665 ₩901.8K
119.60%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,244 ฿137.3K
$8,901 ₩12.1M
-52.32%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,886 ฿93.4K
$7,158 ₩9.7M
-59.68%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Busan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$697 ฿22.5K
$2,514 ₩3.4M
-72.29%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.33
4.22
26.30%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 29, 2025

Last update for Busan: October 29, 2025

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