🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,271 in Cheongju.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $1,916 in Cheongju.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $2,562 in Cheongju.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 3% less than in Cheongju, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket8% lower, Cheongju5% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Cheongju
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63฿151
$7.10₩10.5K
-34.79%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84฿1,532
$36.92₩54.8K
26.87%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿289
$4.75₩7,048
86.11%
Cappuccino
$3.00฿98.0
$4.20₩6,234
-28.57%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74฿24.25
$1.82₩2,693
-59.34%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.95
$1.33₩1,974
-72.18%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.44฿79.8
$3.65₩5,421
-33.15%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61฿118
$5.85₩8,678
-38.29%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Cheongju
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿73.9
$2.03₩3,009
11.33%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84฿60.1
$3.49₩5,170
-47.28%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.24฿73.4
$1.80₩2,664
24.44%
Eggs
$2.32฿75.7
$2.14₩3,170
8.41%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.67฿643
$10.37₩15.4K
89.68%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿119
$8.15₩12.1K
-55.21%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.10฿428
$14.73₩21.9K
-11.07%
Apples(1kg)
$3.39฿111
$2.90₩4,305
16.90%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64฿53.7
$2.85₩4,234
-42.46%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿79.0
$7.33₩10.9K
-67.12%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿66.4
$5.10₩7,571
-60.20%
Potato(1kg)
$1.56฿50.9
$5.18₩7,686
-69.88%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿48.94
$2.99₩4,437
-49.83%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02฿33.50
$2.10₩3,118
-51.43%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.00
$0.45₩675
8.89%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45฿145
$3.40₩5,045
30.88%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.88฿617
$13.40₩19.9K
40.90%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$1.76₩2,607
1.14%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75฿90.1
$2.23₩3,307
23.32%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Cheongju
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.40฿45.81
$1.20₩1,783
16.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.48฿376
$74.2₩110.1K
-84.53%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.12฿102
$2.72₩4,028
14.71%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00฿32.67
$0.78₩1,159
28.21%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.09฿461
$16.73₩24.8K
-15.78%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35฿44.19
$1.20₩1,783
12.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2K฿888.9K
$27.8K₩41.3M
-2.26%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$24.8K₩36.7M
32.96%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Cheongju
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125฿4,087
$187₩276.7K
-33.00%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿444
$24.21₩35.9K
-43.95%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52฿606
$14.77₩21.9K
25.39%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Cheongju
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.5฿2,010
$60.7₩90.0K
1.32%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84฿551
$33.69₩50.0K
-50.01%
Cinema Ticket
$9.19฿300
$7.54₩11.2K
21.88%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Cheongju
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$698฿22.8K
$487₩722.8K
43.28%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6K฿509.9K
$14.2K₩21.1M
9.71%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Cheongju
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8฿1,889
$36.46₩54.1K
58.42%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24฿1,152
$47.11₩69.9K
-25.20%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,699
$89.9₩133.3K
25.83%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4฿2,825
$108₩160.4K
-20.13%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Cheongju
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$616฿20.1K
$300₩445.6K
105.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446฿14.6K
$236₩350.4K
88.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,048฿67.0K
$418₩620.2K
389.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿48.8K
$301₩446.3K
395.95%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,779฿123.6K
$9,730₩14.4M
-61.16%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,649฿86.6K
$5,844₩8.7M
-54.67%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Cheongju
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$524฿17.1K
$2,369₩3.5M
-77.89%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
4.22
26.30%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Phuket: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para Cheongju: April 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $300 in Cheongju. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Cheongju pays 352% 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: $47.00 in Phuket vs $37.00 in Cheongju. Groceries flip the comparison at $292 vs $349, with Phuket cheaper for home cooking.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Phuket vs Cheongju: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Cheongju?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Cheongju. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Phuket or Cheongju?
On paper, Cheongju earns 352% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Phuket vs Cheongju?
Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $300 in Cheongju. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Phuket compared to Cheongju?
All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $1,271 in Cheongju – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Phuket vs Cheongju?
A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 546% less than in Cheongju. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Phuket or Cheongju?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,271 in Cheongju, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Cheongju. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Phuket or Cheongju?
Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,232 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.
How safe is Phuket compared to Cheongju?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Cheongju are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Cheongju. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.