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: $1,426 in Songdo-dong versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Songdo-dong versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,084 in Songdo-dong versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Songdo-dong is roughly 13% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.49 ₩11.4K

$4.56 ฿149

64.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.0 ₩82.1K

$46.63 ฿1,519

15.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.30 ₩9,560

$8.47 ฿276

-25.62%

Cappuccino

$3.69 ₩5,601

$3.03 ฿98.6

21.78%

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

$1.13 ₩1,719

$0.69 ฿22.45

63.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₩1,057

$0.37 ฿11.92

89.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.00 ₩4,561

$2.49 ฿81.0

20.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 ₩8,757

$3.66 ฿119

57.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ₩3,368

$2.18 ฿71.0

1.83%

White Bread (500g)

$3.46 ₩5,254

$1.90 ฿62.0

82.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.20 ₩4,865

$2.20 ฿71.6

45.45%

Eggs

$3.05 ₩4,624

$2.22 ฿72.4

37.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.46 ₩22.0K

$19.99 ฿651

-27.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.21 ₩12.5K

$3.66 ฿119

124.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.48 ₩52.4K

$13.25 ฿432

160.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.59 ₩5,455

$3.23 ฿105

11.15%

Banana (1kg)

$2.88 ₩4,381

$1.70 ฿55.3

69.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.54 ₩8,417

$2.39 ฿78.0

131.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 ₩9,900

$2.08 ฿67.7

213.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.61 ₩3,965

$1.59 ฿51.8

64.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 ₩3,942

$1.48 ฿48.31

75.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 ₩3,939

$1.03 ฿33.54

151.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₩1,833

$0.52 ฿16.83

132.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.39 ₩5,154

$4.25 ฿138

-20.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.12 ₩19.9K

$18.79 ฿612

-30.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 ₩3,375

$1.76 ฿57.2

26.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 ₩5,085

$2.76 ฿89.8

21.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 ₩1,288

$1.36 ฿44.32

-37.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.55 ₩5,397

$3.14 ฿102

13.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ₩808

$1.04 ฿33.74

-49.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.59 ₩13.0K

$13.77 ฿448

-37.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₩1,807

$1.34 ฿43.79

-11.19%

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

$27.5K ₩41.8M

$27.7K ฿901.4K

-0.53%

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

$25.3K ₩38.4M

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-25.25%

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

$166 ₩251.4K

$124 ฿4,025

33.95%

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

$34.27 ₩52.0K

$13.52 ฿440

153.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.16 ₩33.7K

$18.69 ฿609

18.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.2 ₩112.7K

$61.8 ฿2,013

20.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$10.92 ₩16.6K

$9.14 ฿298

19.47%

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

$368 ₩558.8K

$703 ฿22.9K

-47.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K ₩35.4M

$15.9K ฿517.0K

46.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 ₩91.1K

$59.5 ฿1,937

0.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.61 ₩72.3K

$35.07 ฿1,142

35.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$37.43 ₩56.8K

$115 ฿3,754

-67.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 ₩177.0K

$84.1 ฿2,737

38.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$461 ₩699.5K

$619 ฿20.1K

-25.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 ₩563.7K

$433 ฿14.1K

-14.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,113 ₩1.7M

$2,062 ฿67.2K

-46.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$769 ₩1.2M

$1,511 ฿49.2K

-49.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,999 ₩4.6M

$507 ฿16.5K

491.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

5.33

-22.33%

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

Last update for Songdo-dong: June 6, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $461 in Songdo-dong and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Songdo-dong pays 492% 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: $54.0 in Songdo-dong vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $442 vs $293 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 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Songdo-dong pays 492% 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: $461 in Songdo-dong versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $368 in Songdo-dong versus $703 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 $47.00 versus $54.0 in Songdo-dong. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,426 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 13% less than in Songdo-dong. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.