Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Iksan

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,294 a month against $1,459 in Iksan, rent and utilities included – about $2,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
Learn more

Phuket Living Index
67

Cost of Living Index in Iksan
Learn more

Iksan Living Index

Jump to prices

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,294

/mo nomad

Iksan

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,459

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Iksan

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 Iksan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,294 per month in Phuket vs $1,459 in Iksan, rent included.

Phuket $1,294
Iksan $1,459

A couple spends around $2,204 per month in Phuket vs $2,291 in Iksan, rent included.

Phuket $2,204
Iksan $2,291

A family of three spends $3,115 per month in Phuket vs $3,124 in Iksan, rent included.

Phuket $3,115
Iksan $3,124

Phuket is about 11% cheaper than Iksan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Phuket sits 4% below the global median, while Iksan is 8% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.39 ฿147

$5.87 ₩7,884

-25.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.31 ฿1,078

$34.96 ₩47.0K

-7.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.70 ฿290

$6.53 ₩8,773

33.23%

Cappuccino

$2.72 ฿90.9

$3.66 ₩4,919

-25.68%

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

$0.93 ฿31.06

$1.60 ₩2,155

-41.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.67

$0.62 ₩833

-19.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.5

$3.48 ₩4,670

-27.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿121

$4.34 ₩5,830

-16.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 ฿58.1

$2.18 ₩2,934

-20.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 ฿48.42

$3.05 ₩4,102

-52.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.1

$2.55 ₩3,427

-41.18%

Eggs

$2.17 ฿72.5

$3.26 ₩4,384

-33.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.09 ฿637

$15.59 ₩20.9K

22.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 ฿113

$10.31 ₩13.9K

-67.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿364

$10.98 ₩14.8K

-0.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 ฿98.2

$7.03 ₩9,445

-58.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.5

$2.43 ₩3,270

-30.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 ฿73.2

$4.37 ₩5,875

-49.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 ฿70.9

$7.01 ₩9,418

-69.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.68

$3.29 ₩4,423

-55.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 ฿45.66

$2.63 ₩3,529

-47.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ฿35.91

$2.01 ₩2,702

-46.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.21

$1.29 ₩1,729

-57.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.43 ฿148

$3.31 ₩4,451

33.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.25 ฿609

$13.90 ₩18.7K

31.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ฿59.2

$2.54 ₩3,414

-30.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ฿96.2

$4.05 ₩5,437

-28.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿48.32

$0.96 ₩1,293

51.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 ฿1,832

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 ฿50.5

$3.56 ₩4,778

-57.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 ฿25.90

$0.64 ₩863

21.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.84 ฿128

$9.65 ₩13.0K

-60.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.65

$1.36 ₩1,822

9.56%

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

$26.9K ฿897.3K

$29.1K ₩39.1M

-7.58%

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

$26.3K ฿879.4K

$35.9K ₩48.3M

-26.66%

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

$97.8 ฿3,265

$207 ₩277.8K

-52.68%

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

$11.29 ฿377

$44.04 ₩59.2K

-74.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.19 ฿574

$21.13 ₩28.4K

-18.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.3 ฿2,281

$51.9 ₩69.8K

31.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.92 ฿365

$12.17 ₩16.4K

-10.27%

Cinema Ticket

$7.43 ฿248

$10.95 ₩14.7K

-32.15%

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

$530 ฿17.7K

$296 ₩397.7K

79.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K ฿626.9K

$17.8K ₩23.9M

5.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.7 ฿2,059

$65.5 ₩88.0K

-5.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.25 ฿943

$63.6 ₩85.5K

-55.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,204

$74.3 ₩99.9K

29.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.8 ฿2,898

$99.5 ₩133.7K

-12.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$721 ฿24.1K

$505 ₩678.1K

42.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$509 ฿17.0K

$424 ₩570.2K

19.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,950 ฿65.1K

$1,403 ₩1.9M

39.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,397 ฿46.6K

$948 ₩1.3M

47.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,192 ฿139.9K

$5,992 ₩8.1M

-30.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,298 ฿110.1K

$4,683 ₩6.3M

-29.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$492 ฿16.4K

$1,690 ₩2.3M

-70.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.1

35.85%

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

Last update for Phuket: November 2, 2026

Last update for Iksan: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$509 39.3%

Iksan

$424 29.1% 16.6% $85

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$267 20.6%

Iksan

$396 27.2% 48.5% $129

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$126 9.8%

Iksan

$272 18.6% 115% $146

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$123 9.5%

Iksan

$136 9.3% 11.1% $14

Eating Out

Phuket

$120 9.2%

Iksan

$145 10% 21.6% $26

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$83 6.4%

Iksan

$74 5.1% 11.2% $9.4

Getting Around

Phuket

$66 5.1%

Iksan

$11 * 0.7% 83.9% $55

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $721 in Phuket versus $505 in Iksan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Iksan are about 3.4 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Phuket versus $35 in Iksan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $396 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇰🇷 Iksan

🕒 Local time

06:16 6:16 AM

08:16 8:16 AM

2 h ahead of Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

307,000

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

South Korean Won KRW ₩

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 3 USD

100 THB = 2.67 EUR

10,000 KRW = 7.44 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.63 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 5, 2026: 1 USD = 33.38 THB (100 THB = 3 USD). 1 EUR = 37.47 THB (100 THB = 2.67 EUR).

South Korean Won exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 1,344 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.44 USD). 1 EUR = 1,508 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.63 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Phuket Iksan 4,260 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Iksan

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 Iksan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Iksan costs about 13% more than Phuket, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,940 per month in Phuket and $2,188 in Iksan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Iksan, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $505 there versus $721 in Phuket.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Phuket and $35 in Iksan. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 49% more in Iksan, though the gap depends on what you buy.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,294 in Phuket to $1,459 in Iksan. 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, Iksan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.