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: $1,454 in Pyeongtaek versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,854 in Pyeongtaek versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,253 in Pyeongtaek versus $2,876 in Phuket.

Living in Pyeongtaek is roughly 18% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Pyeongtaek is 6% above, Phuket is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.28 ₩10.0K

$4.41 ฿147

65.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.42 ₩30.9K

$32.26 ฿1,077

-30.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.85 ₩6,678

$8.93 ฿298

-45.69%

Cappuccino

$3.56 ₩4,907

$2.90 ฿96.6

22.76%

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

$1.22 ₩1,681

$0.88 ฿29.38

38.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 ₩1,269

$0.48 ฿16.06

91.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.61 ₩4,982

$2.35 ฿78.5

53.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.17 ₩5,742

$3.72 ฿124

12.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ₩3,120

$1.87 ฿62.3

20.86%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 ₩4,243

$1.47 ฿48.94

109.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.07 ₩4,235

$1.55 ฿51.8

98.06%

Eggs

$2.59 ₩3,569

$2.10 ฿70.1

23.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.11 ₩15.3K

$19.59 ฿654

-43.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.34 ₩14.3K

$3.42 ฿114

202.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.05 ₩34.5K

$11.38 ฿380

120.12%

Apples (1kg)

$11.05 ₩15.2K

$2.98 ฿99.6

270.81%

Banana (1kg)

$3.70 ₩5,093

$1.68 ฿56.2

120.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.03 ₩11.1K

$2.21 ฿73.7

263.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.03 ₩8,315

$2.16 ฿72.1

179.17%

Potato (1kg)

$5.92 ₩8,158

$1.52 ฿50.9

289.47%

Onion (1kg)

$3.33 ₩4,590

$1.34 ฿44.67

148.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.85 ₩3,931

$1.13 ฿37.67

152.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 ₩1,741

$0.55 ฿18.24

129.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 ₩4,660

$4.26 ฿142

-20.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ₩25.9K

$19.09 ฿637

-1.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 ₩3,365

$1.78 ฿59.4

37.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ₩4,650

$2.78 ฿92.9

21.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 ₩1,719

$2.23 ฿74.4

-43.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.47 ₩62.7K

$22.74 ฿759

99.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.59 ₩4,946

$3.03 ฿101

18.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 ₩766

$1.02 ฿34.15

-45.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.02 ₩12.4K

$3.89 ฿130

131.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 ₩1,920

$1.49 ฿49.77

-6.71%

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

$15.3K ₩21.1M

$26.6K ฿887.3K

-42.36%

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

$15.1K ₩20.8M

$27.0K ฿902.2K

-44.16%

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

$196 ₩270.7K

$102 ฿3,420

91.70%

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

$16.88 ₩23.3K

$11.33 ฿378

48.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.22 ₩37.5K

$17.40 ฿581

56.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$12.05 ₩16.6K

$7.69 ฿257

56.70%

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

$627 ₩863.6K

$561 ฿18.7K

11.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.3K ₩29.4M

$11.5K ฿384.1K

85.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 ₩144.8K

$63.0 ฿2,104

66.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.2 ₩88.5K

$29.52 ฿986

117.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.2 ₩125.7K

$98.0 ฿3,272

-6.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 ₩177.3K

$88.5 ฿2,954

45.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$518 ₩713.4K

$738 ฿24.6K

-29.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$300 ₩414.0K

$482 ฿16.1K

-37.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,853 ₩2.6M

$2,107 ฿70.3K

-12.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,866 ₩2.6M

$1,226 ฿40.9K

52.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,881 ₩2.6M

$494 ฿16.5K

280.99%

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 Pyeongtaek: September 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $518 in Pyeongtaek and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pyeongtaek pays 281% 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 $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $484 vs $274, 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, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 281% 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: $518 in Pyeongtaek versus $738 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $627 in Pyeongtaek versus $561 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 77% higher in Pyeongtaek. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,454 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 18% less than in Pyeongtaek. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.