Cost of Living Comparison Between Songdo-dong and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Songdo-dong and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,449 in Songdo-dong versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Songdo-dong versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,110 in Songdo-dong versus $2,876 in Phuket.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.80 ₩8,036

$4.41 ฿147

31.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.27 ₩47.5K

$32.26 ฿1,074

6.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.62 ₩9,177

$8.93 ฿297

-25.87%

Cappuccino

$3.60 ₩4,992

$2.90 ฿96.4

24.14%

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

$1.58 ₩2,192

$0.88 ฿29.30

79.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₩870

$0.48 ฿16.01

31.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 ₩4,048

$2.35 ฿78.3

24.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.33 ₩6,005

$3.72 ฿124

16.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 ₩3,120

$1.87 ฿62.1

20.32%

White Bread (500g)

$3.15 ₩4,359

$1.47 ฿48.81

114.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 ₩3,241

$1.55 ฿51.7

50.97%

Eggs

$3.34 ₩4,630

$2.10 ฿70.0

59.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.64 ₩21.7K

$19.59 ฿652

-20.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.72 ₩10.7K

$3.42 ฿114

125.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.03 ₩15.3K

$11.38 ฿379

-3.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.79 ₩5,255

$2.98 ฿99.3

27.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.99 ₩4,149

$1.68 ฿56.1

77.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.47 ₩10.4K

$2.21 ฿73.5

238.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.11 ₩9,853

$2.16 ฿72.0

229.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 ₩3,660

$1.52 ฿50.8

73.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.47 ₩3,417

$1.34 ฿44.55

84.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 ₩2,798

$1.13 ฿37.57

78.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 ₩1,578

$0.55 ฿18.19

107.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 ₩4,572

$4.26 ฿142

-22.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.04 ₩20.9K

$19.09 ฿635

-21.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 ₩3,029

$1.78 ฿59.2

23.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 ₩7,014

$2.78 ฿92.6

82.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ₩1,258

$2.23 ฿74.2

-59.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿757

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.70 ₩5,128

$3.03 ฿101

22.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 ₩898

$1.02 ฿34.06

-36.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 ₩1,898

$1.49 ฿49.63

-8.05%

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

$29.3K ₩40.6M

$26.6K ฿884.9K

10.17%

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

$34.9K ₩48.4M

$27.0K ฿899.8K

29.28%

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

$206 ₩285.2K

$102 ฿3,411

100.82%

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

$43.92 ₩60.9K

$11.33 ฿377

287.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.48 ₩28.4K

$17.40 ฿579

17.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.7 ₩104.9K

$52.1 ฿1,734

45.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿369

Cinema Ticket

$11.12 ₩15.4K

$7.69 ฿256

44.60%

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

$364 ₩504.9K

$561 ฿18.7K

-35.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.6K ₩24.4M

$11.5K ฿383.0K

52.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.2 ₩88.9K

$63.0 ฿2,098

1.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.2 ₩88.9K

$29.52 ฿983

117.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$36.51 ₩50.6K

$98.0 ฿3,263

-62.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.8 ₩135.5K

$88.5 ฿2,946

10.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ₩618.0K

$482 ฿16.1K

-7.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,494 ₩2.1M

$2,107 ฿70.1K

-29.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,042 ₩1.4M

$1,226 ฿40.8K

-15.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,405 ₩4.7M

$494 ฿16.4K

589.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.1

5.57

-26.39%

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

Last update for Songdo-dong: September 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Songdo-dong pays 590% 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: $34.00 in Songdo-dong vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $383 vs $274 per month, with Phuket 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

Songdo-dong vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 590% higher in Songdo-dong, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $364 in Songdo-dong versus $561 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 $32.00 versus $34.00 in Songdo-dong. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,449 in Songdo-dong, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Songdo-dong. 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 Songdo-dong, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Songdo-dong 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 Songdo-dong. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.