Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kaesong

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Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,190

/mo nomad

Kaesong

🇰🇵 North Korea

/mo nomad

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.35 ฿146

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.45 ฿1,091

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.42 ฿283

Cappuccino

$2.81 ฿94.3

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

$0.87 ฿29.41

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ฿15.45

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 ฿86.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 ฿123

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿57.4

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 ฿48.61

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.5

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.5

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.53 ฿656

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 ฿114

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.14 ฿374

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 ฿95.2

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.5

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 ฿74.8

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 ฿72.2

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 ฿50.2

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 ฿44.57

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.86

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.07

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 ฿147

Wine (Bottle)

$18.77 ฿631

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ฿58.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.17 ฿72.9

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.28 ฿749

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿101

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 ฿35.56

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.71 ฿125

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿48.07

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

$26.3K ฿885.5K

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

$26.2K ฿880.7K

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

$96.7 ฿3,249

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

$11.41 ฿384

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.11 ฿575

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 ฿1,775

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿372

Cinema Ticket

$7.65 ฿257

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

$555 ฿18.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿379.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.4 ฿2,131

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.61 ฿961

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.7 ฿3,251

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.6 ฿2,978

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$735 ฿24.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$458 ฿15.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,102 ฿70.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,187 ฿39.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,493 ฿117.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,491 ฿83.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$501 ฿16.8K

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 4, 2026

Last update for Kaesong: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$458 38.1%

Kaesong

–

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$268 22.3%

Kaesong

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$125 10.4%

Kaesong

–

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$125 10.4%

Kaesong

–

Eating Out

Phuket

$119 9.9%

Kaesong

–

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$68 5.7%

Kaesong

–

Getting Around

Phuket

$39 3.3%

Kaesong

–

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇰🇵 Kaesong

🕒 Local time

14:53 2:53 PM

16:53 4:53 PM

2 h ahead of Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

308,000

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

USD USD

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.98 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 USD = 33.61 THB (100 THB = 2.98 USD). 1 EUR = 37.67 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

USD exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Phuket Kaesong 4,380 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Kaesong

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 Kaesong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Families tend to lean toward Kaesong – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Kaesong. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.