Cost of Living Comparison Between Pyeongtaek and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Pyeongtaek and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,484 in Pyeongtaek versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,224 in Pyeongtaek versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,965 in Pyeongtaek versus $3,248 in Phuket.

Living in Pyeongtaek is roughly 17% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Pyeongtaek is 11% above, Phuket is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.25 ₩10.3K

$4.48 ฿150

61.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.99 ₩31.3K

$45.59 ฿1,520

-51.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.75 ₩6,757

$8.76 ฿292

-45.78%

Cappuccino

$4.09 ₩5,808

$2.97 ฿99.0

37.71%

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

$1.22 ₩1,733

$0.69 ฿22.89

76.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 ₩1,301

$0.39 ฿13.03

135.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.63 ₩5,157

$2.53 ฿84.4

43.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.83 ₩8,286

$3.75 ฿125

55.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.35 ₩3,337

$2.15 ฿71.6

9.30%

White Bread (500g)

$3.57 ₩5,077

$1.82 ฿60.5

96.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.12 ₩4,441

$2.18 ฿72.9

43.12%

Eggs

$2.86 ₩4,063

$2.25 ฿75.0

27.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.59 ₩15.0K

$20.00 ฿667

-47.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.13 ₩11.6K

$3.63 ฿121

123.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.37 ₩38.9K

$13.56 ฿452

101.84%

Apples (1kg)

$8.46 ₩12.0K

$3.24 ฿108

161.11%

Banana (1kg)

$3.14 ₩4,458

$1.64 ฿54.6

91.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.33 ₩10.4K

$2.33 ฿77.8

214.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.38 ₩7,642

$2.07 ฿69.1

159.90%

Potato (1kg)

$5.03 ₩7,146

$1.55 ฿51.6

224.52%

Onion (1kg)

$3.04 ₩4,316

$1.46 ฿48.53

108.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 ₩2,983

$0.98 ฿32.85

114.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 ₩1,692

$0.48 ฿16.09

147.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.25 ₩4,620

$4.35 ฿145

-25.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.37 ₩24.7K

$18.57 ฿619

-6.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 ₩2,429

$1.86 ฿61.9

-8.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 ₩4,973

$2.65 ฿88.5

32.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.07 ₩1,527

$1.42 ฿47.26

-24.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 ₩5,163

$3.17 ฿106

14.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 ₩1,117

$1.03 ฿34.40

-23.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.48 ₩23.4K

$13.89 ฿463

18.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ₩1,651

$1.34 ฿44.83

-13.43%

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

$28.2K ₩40.1M

$27.8K ฿926.8K

1.46%

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

$25.3K ₩36.0M

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-24.18%

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

$192 ₩272.4K

$123 ฿4,104

55.73%

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

$17.09 ₩24.3K

$13.77 ฿459

24.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.81 ₩39.5K

$18.33 ฿611

51.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.28 ₩67.2K

$60.7 ฿2,024

-22.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿572

Cinema Ticket

$11.30 ₩16.1K

$8.87 ฿296

27.40%

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

$496 ₩704.4K

$688 ฿22.9K

-27.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K ₩20.4M

$15.8K ฿526.2K

-9.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 ₩143.7K

$59.3 ฿1,978

70.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.27 ₩67.2K

$34.69 ฿1,157

36.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.5 ₩127.3K

$115 ฿3,841

-22.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 ₩167.3K

$83.8 ฿2,793

40.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$442 ₩628.7K

$621 ฿20.7K

-28.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$380 ₩539.8K

$446 ฿14.9K

-14.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,091 ₩1.6M

$2,034 ฿67.8K

-46.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$771 ₩1.1M

$1,496 ฿49.9K

-48.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,682 ₩2.4M

$494 ฿16.5K

240.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

5.33

-20.83%

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

Last update for Pyeongtaek: July 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $442 in Pyeongtaek and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pyeongtaek pays 241% 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 Pyeongtaek vs $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $449 vs $291, 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

Pyeongtaek vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 241% higher in Pyeongtaek, 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: $442 in Pyeongtaek versus $621 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $496 in Pyeongtaek versus $688 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 $46.00 versus $22.00 in Pyeongtaek. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,484 in Pyeongtaek, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Pyeongtaek. 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 Pyeongtaek, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Pyeongtaek 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 17% less than in Pyeongtaek. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.