Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Iksan Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Iksan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $1,382 in Iksan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,286 per month in Phuket vs $2,207 in Iksan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,310 per month in Phuket vs $3,033 in Iksan, rent included.

Phuket is about 9% cheaper than Iksan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Iksan is 3% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$7.35 ₩11.2K

-37.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$36.58 ₩55.5K

27.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$5.30 ₩8,055

59.81%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$3.88 ₩5,885

-21.91%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$1.60 ₩2,427

-56.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.85 ₩1,291

-56.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$3.39 ₩5,155

-26.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$4.83 ₩7,333

-24.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$2.22 ₩3,378

-1.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$3.09 ₩4,696

-38.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$3.03 ₩4,605

-27.39%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$2.85 ₩4,332

-22.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$10.35 ₩15.7K

93.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$8.37 ₩12.7K

-56.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$27.96 ₩42.5K

-52.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$7.87 ₩12.0K

-58.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$3.13 ₩4,750

-45.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$5.40 ₩8,206

-55.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$5.23 ₩7,938

-60.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$3.90 ₩5,919

-59.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$2.92 ₩4,437

-49.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$2.21 ₩3,359

-53.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$1.16 ₩1,757

-55.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$3.33 ₩5,050

27.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$16.52 ₩25.1K

13.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.82 ₩2,763

-3.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$3.38 ₩5,131

-18.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$1.07 ₩1,621

27.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$3.47 ₩5,264

-9.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$0.56 ₩851

85.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$8.70 ₩13.2K

58.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.17 ₩1,778

14.53%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$27.6K ₩41.8M

0.45%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$25.4K ₩38.6M

33.13%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$163 ₩247.1K

-24.04%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$34.64 ₩52.6K

-60.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$22.31 ₩33.9K

-16.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$48.23 ₩73.2K

28.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$11.13 ₩16.9K

-17.88%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$419 ₩635.5K

67.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$23.2K ₩35.3M

-31.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$59.5 ₩90.3K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$47.15 ₩71.6K

-25.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$78.2 ₩118.7K

47.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$115 ₩174.3K

-26.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$461 ₩700.8K

34.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$375 ₩569.4K

15.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$1,072 ₩1.6M

92.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$771 ₩1.2M

95.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$9,012 ₩13.7M

-59.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$4,589 ₩7.0M

-42.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$1,524 ₩2.3M

-66.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

4.14

28.74%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Iksan: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Phuket versus $461 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 run about 201% higher in Iksan, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket versus $37.00 in Iksan. Groceries tell a different story – $293 in Phuket vs $429 in Iksan – 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

Phuket vs Iksan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Iksan costs about 10% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,892 per month in Phuket and $2,073 in Iksan. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket and $37.00 in Iksan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 46% more in Iksan, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,261, than in Iksan at $1,382. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Iksan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,261 versus $1,382 in Iksan. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Iksan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.