Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ongjin Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ongjin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $737 in Ongjin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,158 in Ongjin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,580 in Ongjin.

Living in Phuket is roughly 72% more expensive than Ongjin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Ongjin 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$2.92 $2.92

60.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$22.93 $22.93

97.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$8.31 $8.31

1.44%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$1.17 $1.17

150.43%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$1.01 $1.01

-31.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$1.04 $1.04

-64.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$7.03 $7.03

-65.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.33 $2.33

59.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$0.90 $0.90

147.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.64 $1.64

11.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$2.38 $2.38

-8.82%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$3.31 $3.31

-33.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$4.70 $4.70

320.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$2.32 $2.32

56.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$5.91 $5.91

128.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$6.82 $6.82

-51.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$4.73 $4.73

-65.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$2.36 $2.36

2.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$2.34 $2.34

-11.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$3.54 $3.54

-56.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$3.44 $3.44

-56.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$2.25 $2.25

-56.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.47 $0.47

8.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$4.66 $4.66

-5.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$7.94 $7.94

144.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.14 $1.14

56.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$2.33 $2.33

16.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$1.06 $1.06

29.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$41.13 $41.13

-72.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$1.52 $1.52

98.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$2.12 $2.12

-53.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$42.31 $42.31

-66.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$0.78 $0.78

74.36%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$23.5K $23.5K

19.78%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$29.2K $29.2K

12.51%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$34.86 $34.86

249.11%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$11.43 $11.43

18.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$46.48 $46.48

-60.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$43.14 $43.14

39.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$15.32 $15.32

11.88%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$7.98 $7.98

8.90%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$112 $112

521.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$2,189 $2,189

616.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$22.78 $22.78

161.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$28.77 $28.77

20.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$63.5 $63.5

80.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$87.9 $87.9

-5.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$91.3 $91.3

571.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$94.0 $94.0

365.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$2,336 $2,336

-10.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$140 $140

978.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$1,783 $1,783

110.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$1,452 $1,452

80.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$216 $216

135.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

7.11

-25.04%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Ongjin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $91.3 in Ongjin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 136% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $23.00 in Ongjin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $234 per month, with Ongjin cheaper across the board.

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 Ongjin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ongjin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 72% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Phuket pays 136% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $91.3 in Ongjin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 25% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Ongjin – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $737 in Ongjin versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ongjin but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Ongjin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ongjin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Ongjin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ongjin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 72% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.