Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Daegu

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,278 a month against $1,569 in Daegu, rent and utilities included – about $3,500 less a year. The total is higher in Daegu despite lower rent and utilities.

62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index
76

Cost of Living Index in Daegu
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Daegu Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

Daegu

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,569

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Daegu

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Daegu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,278 per month in Phuket vs $1,569 in Daegu, rent included.

Phuket $1,278
Daegu $1,569

A couple spends around $2,216 per month in Phuket vs $2,404 in Daegu, rent included.

Phuket $2,216
Daegu $2,404

A family of three spends $3,154 per month in Phuket vs $3,239 in Daegu, rent included.

Phuket $3,154
Daegu $3,239

Phuket is about 19% cheaper than Daegu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Daegu is 15% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.47 ฿151

$9.14 ₩12.2K

-51.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.41 ฿1,094

$37.29 ₩49.7K

-13.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.81 ฿297

$5.43 ₩7,246

62.25%

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿95.4

$4.05 ₩5,397

-30.12%

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

$0.87 ฿29.42

$1.58 ₩2,112

-44.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.66

$0.91 ₩1,218

-46.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 ฿86.3

$3.80 ₩5,062

-32.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿124

$5.22 ₩6,958

-29.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿56.0

$2.51 ₩3,353

-33.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿49.32

$4.35 ₩5,799

-66.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$2.70 ₩3,599

-44.44%

Eggs

$2.09 ฿70.5

$2.83 ₩3,779

-26.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.07 ฿643

$10.30 ₩13.7K

85.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿111

$7.12 ₩9,500

-53.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.91 ฿368

$21.04 ₩28.1K

-48.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 ฿98.9

$6.57 ₩8,762

-55.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿57.0

$2.67 ₩3,565

-36.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$5.54 ₩7,391

-59.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿70.1

$5.82 ₩7,760

-64.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ฿51.0

$2.68 ₩3,568

-43.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$2.14 ₩2,853

-35.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.97

$4.44 ₩5,916

-75.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.51

$1.40 ₩1,862

-62.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ฿142

$2.97 ₩3,954

41.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿634

$15.03 ₩20.0K

25.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿61.5

$2.26 ₩3,007

-19.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.9

$2.38 ₩3,175

19.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿49.00

$1.16 ₩1,552

25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.7 ฿1,912

$76.3 ₩101.7K

-25.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿102

$3.24 ₩4,320

-6.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.34

$0.62 ₩821

64.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 ฿125

$8.18 ₩10.9K

-54.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.78

$1.30 ₩1,735

13.08%

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

$26.8K ฿903.7K

$28.5K ₩37.9M

-5.89%

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

$26.7K ฿900.8K

$40.9K ₩54.6M

-34.81%

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

$96.4 ฿3,252

$279 ₩372.2K

-65.48%

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

$11.26 ฿380

$50.1 ₩66.8K

-77.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.85 ฿569

$47.19 ₩62.9K

-64.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 ฿2,269

$51.6 ₩68.8K

30.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.73 ฿362

$11.95 ₩15.9K

-10.21%

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 ฿253

$11.15 ₩14.9K

-32.74%

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

$476 ฿16.1K

$530 ₩707.3K

-10.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿380.1K

$28.5K ₩38.0M

-60.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 ฿2,105

$56.6 ₩75.4K

10.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.41 ฿959

$50.5 ₩67.4K

-43.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,182

$96.4 ₩128.5K

-2.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 ฿2,896

$170 ₩227.3K

-49.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 ฿24.2K

$425 ₩567.4K

68.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 ฿16.6K

$272 ₩362.6K

80.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,927 ฿65.0K

$1,042 ₩1.4M

84.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 ฿48.3K

$606 ₩808.8K

135.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,175 ฿140.9K

$7,269 ₩9.7M

-42.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,045 ฿102.8K

$5,404 ₩7.2M

-43.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿17.0K

$2,451 ₩3.3M

-79.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.07

9.86%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Daegu: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$491 38.4%

Daegu

$272 17.3% 44.6% $219

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$266 20.8%

Daegu

$413 26.4% 55.3% $147

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$124 9.7%

Daegu

$376 24% 202% $252

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Daegu

$168 10.7% 38.1% $46

Eating Out

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Daegu

$177 11.3% 45.8% $56

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$82 6.4%

Daegu

$74 4.7% 10.1% $8.3

Getting Around

Phuket

$71 5.5%

Daegu

$87 5.6% 23.6% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $716 in Phuket versus $425 in Daegu. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Daegu are about 4.9 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Phuket versus $37 in Daegu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $266 vs $413 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇰🇷 Daegu

🕒 Local time

10:19 10:19 AM

12:19 12:19 PM

2 h ahead of Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

2,528,933

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

South Korean Won KRW ₩

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

10,000 KRW = 7.5 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.72 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KRW, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.68 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

South Korean Won exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 1,334 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.5 USD). 1 EUR = 1,489 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.72 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Phuket Daegu 4,370 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Daegu

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Phuket vs Daegu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,278 in Phuket, $1,569 in Daegu – Phuket comes out roughly 19% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,917 per month in Phuket and $2,353 in Daegu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Daegu, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $425 there versus $716 in Phuket.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Phuket and $37 in Daegu. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,278 in Phuket and $1,569 in Daegu. That makes Phuket about 19% cheaper.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,278, than in Daegu at $1,569. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Daegu it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,278 in Phuket to $1,569 in Daegu. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Daegu makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.