Cost of Living Comparison Between Pohang and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Pohang and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,307 in Pohang versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,611 in Pohang versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,915 in Pohang versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in Pohang is roughly 4% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Pohang 5% lower, Phuket 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.81 ₩7,898

$4.56 ฿151

27.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.80 ₩29.6K

$32.62 ฿1,082

-33.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.59 ₩8,957

$8.90 ฿295

-25.96%

Cappuccino

$2.87 ₩3,902

$2.80 ฿93.0

2.50%

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

$1.44 ₩1,951

$0.88 ฿29.19

63.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₩637

$0.49 ฿16.23

-4.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.54 ₩4,815

$2.39 ฿79.2

48.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 ₩4,849

$3.71 ฿123

-3.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 ₩2,559

$1.79 ฿59.3

5.03%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 ₩4,304

$1.44 ฿47.81

120.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.48 ₩3,378

$1.58 ฿52.6

56.96%

Eggs

$2.64 ₩3,590

$2.13 ฿70.5

23.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.95 ₩14.9K

$19.92 ฿661

-45.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.49 ₩8,817

$3.43 ฿114

89.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.37 ₩33.1K

$11.33 ฿376

115.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.14 ₩2,905

$2.95 ฿97.8

-27.46%

Banana (1kg)

$3.49 ₩4,741

$1.72 ฿57.1

102.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.70 ₩10.5K

$2.32 ฿77.1

231.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.98 ₩4,044

$2.08 ฿69.0

43.27%

Potato (1kg)

$4.90 ₩6,663

$1.47 ฿48.77

233.33%

Onion (1kg)

$3.32 ₩4,519

$1.36 ฿45.05

144.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 ₩3,040

$1.10 ฿36.45

103.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 ₩1,761

$0.57 ฿19.06

128.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.22 ₩4,373

$4.27 ฿142

-24.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.42 ₩8,732

$18.42 ฿611

-65.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 ₩1,970

$1.87 ฿62.1

-22.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ₩4,480

$2.92 ฿96.9

13.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿73.6

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 ₩4,596

$3.03 ฿101

11.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 ₩817

$1.07 ฿35.63

-43.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.22 ₩22.0K

$3.93 ฿130

312.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ₩1,652

$1.49 ฿49.49

-18.12%

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

$28.8K ₩39.2M

$27.1K ฿899.8K

6.34%

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

$27.9K ₩37.9M

$27.5K ฿910.6K

1.65%

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

$97.7 ₩132.8K

$103 ฿3,410

-4.94%

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

$35.52 ₩48.3K

$10.99 ฿365

223.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.97 ₩35.3K

$17.51 ฿581

48.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.64 ₩38.9K

$53.5 ฿1,776

-46.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.20 ₩9,785

$11.20 ฿371

-35.71%

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 ₩14.8K

$7.48 ฿248

45.32%

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

$612 ₩831.6K

$557 ฿18.5K

9.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.4K ₩29.2M

$11.9K ฿393.2K

80.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 ₩137.3K

$64.1 ฿2,125

57.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.7 ₩86.6K

$29.07 ฿964

119.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.1 ₩125.2K

$96.0 ฿3,183

-3.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ₩150.6K

$90.3 ฿2,997

22.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 ₩616.6K

$500 ฿16.6K

-9.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿69.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿40.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿119.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,891 ₩3.9M

$2,512 ฿83.3K

15.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,242 ₩3.0M

$503 ฿16.7K

345.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

5.57

-24.24%

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

Last update for Pohang: August 30, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Pohang pays 345% 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: $22.00 in Pohang vs $33.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $359 vs $273, with Phuket cheaper for home cooking.

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

Pohang vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 345% higher in Pohang, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $612 in Pohang versus $557 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $22.00 in Pohang. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,253 in Phuket versus $1,307 in Pohang, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Pohang. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Pohang and Phuket 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Pohang. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.