Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Pyongyang Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Pyongyang

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $245 in Pyongyang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $385 in Pyongyang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $526 in Pyongyang.

Living in Phuket is roughly 417% more expensive than Pyongyang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Pyongyang 82% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$23.41 $23.41

93.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$1.17 $1.17

150.43%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$2.25 $2.25

-69.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$1.14 $1.14

-67.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$13.65 $13.65

-82.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$3.43 $3.43

8.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$0.96 $0.96

132.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$2.42 $2.42

-24.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$0.92 $0.92

135.87%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$2.08 $2.08

6.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

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

$122 ฿3,975

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

$13.57 ฿443

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

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

$693 ฿22.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$92.6 $92.6

561.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$92.0 $92.0

375.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$139 $139

988.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$253 $253

100.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Pyongyang: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $92.6 in Pyongyang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 101% 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 Pyongyang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $46.00 per month, with Pyongyang 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 Pyongyang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pyongyang is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 417% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Phuket pays 101% 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 $92.6 in Pyongyang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 540% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Pyongyang – 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 $245 in Pyongyang versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Pyongyang but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Pyongyang the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Pyongyang 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 Pyongyang 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 Pyongyang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 417% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.