Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Jeju

For one person, living is cheaper in Jeju: $1,118 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $1,900 less a year. The total is higher in Phuket despite lower rent and utilities.

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Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

Jeju

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,118

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Jeju

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

A single person spends $1,278 per month in Phuket vs $1,118 in Jeju, rent included.

Phuket $1,278
Jeju $1,118

A couple spends around $2,216 per month in Phuket vs $1,917 in Jeju, rent included.

Phuket $2,216
Jeju $1,917

A family of three spends $3,154 per month in Phuket vs $2,715 in Jeju, rent included.

Phuket $3,154
Jeju $2,715

Phuket costs about 14% more than Jeju, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Phuket and Jeju are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Jeju 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.47 ฿151

$7.33 ₩9,784

-39.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.41 ฿1,093

$51.9 ₩69.2K

-37.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.81 ฿297

$5.61 ₩7,495

57.04%

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿95.4

$5.87 ₩7,834

-51.79%

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

$0.87 ฿29.41

$2.19 ₩2,924

-60.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.65

$2.06 ₩2,753

-76.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 ฿86.3

$3.93 ₩5,245

-34.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿124

$3.07 ₩4,102

19.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿55.9

$2.26 ₩3,017

-26.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿49.31

$2.31 ₩3,079

-36.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$2.31 ₩3,085

-35.06%

Eggs

$2.09 ฿70.5

$2.62 ₩3,498

-20.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.07 ฿643

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿111

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.91 ฿368

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 ฿98.9

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿57.0

$2.20 ₩2,940

-23.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿70.0

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ฿51.0

$2.97 ₩3,960

-49.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.52

$1.87 ₩2,496

-26.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.96

$2.28 ₩3,038

-53.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.51

$0.47 ₩624

10.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ฿142

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿634

$11.48 ₩15.3K

63.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿61.5

$1.85 ₩2,465

-1.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.8

$1.72 ₩2,295

65.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿48.98

$0.99 ₩1,321

46.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.7 ฿1,912

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿102

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.33

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 ฿125

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.76

$1.37 ₩1,835

7.30%

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

$26.8K ฿903.4K

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

$26.7K ฿900.5K

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

$96.4 ฿3,251

$214 ₩285.7K

-54.98%

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

$11.26 ฿380

$54.0 ₩72.0K

-79.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.85 ฿568

$19.65 ₩26.2K

-14.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 ฿2,268

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.73 ฿362

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 ฿253

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

$476 ฿16.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿380.0K

$25.3K ₩33.8M

-55.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 ฿2,104

$52.7 ₩70.3K

18.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.41 ฿958

$29.78 ₩39.8K

-4.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,181

$66.6 ₩88.9K

41.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 ฿2,895

$90.8 ₩121.2K

-5.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 ฿24.2K

$461 ₩615.2K

55.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 ฿16.6K

$388 ₩518.2K

26.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,927 ฿65.0K

$1,372 ₩1.8M

40.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 ฿48.3K

$1,192 ₩1.6M

19.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,175 ฿140.9K

$10.8K ₩14.4M

-61.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,045 ฿102.7K

$6,659 ₩8.9M

-54.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿16.9K

$1,883 ₩2.5M

-73.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Jeju: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$491 38.4%

Jeju

–

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$266 20.8%

Jeju

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$124 9.7%

Jeju

–

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Jeju

–

Eating Out

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Jeju

–

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$82 6.4%

Jeju

–

Getting Around

Phuket

$71 5.5%

Jeju

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $716 in Phuket versus $461 in Jeju. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Jeju are about 3.7 times higher, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Phuket versus $52 in Jeju. Groceries tell a different story – $266 in Phuket vs $142 in Jeju – so Jeju wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇰🇷 Jeju

🕒 Local time

06:10 6:10 AM

08:10 8:10 AM

2 h ahead of Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

469,279

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

South Korean Won KRW ₩

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

10,000 KRW = 7.49 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.71 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 1, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.67 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

South Korean Won exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 1,335 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.49 USD). 1 EUR = 1,491 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.71 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Phuket Jeju 4,060 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Jeju

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 Jeju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 14%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,917 per month in Phuket and $1,677 in Jeju. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Jeju, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $461 there versus $716 in Phuket.

Groceries cost about 88% more in Phuket, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Phuket and $52 in Jeju. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,278 in Phuket and $1,118 in Jeju, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,118 in Jeju to $1,278 in Phuket. 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.