Cost of Living Comparison Between Ulsan and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Ulsan and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,322 in Ulsan versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,143 in Ulsan versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,964 in Ulsan versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in Ulsan is roughly 5% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ulsan 4% lower, Phuket 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.35 ₩9,967

$4.56 ฿150

61.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.91 ₩59.5K

$32.62 ฿1,073

34.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.93 ₩8,036

$8.90 ฿293

-33.37%

Cappuccino

$3.35 ₩4,539

$2.80 ฿92.2

19.64%

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

$0.86 ₩1,170

$0.88 ฿28.94

-2.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₩621

$0.49 ฿16.08

-6.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 ₩4,000

$2.39 ฿78.5

23.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.19 ₩5,679

$3.71 ฿122

12.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ₩3,022

$1.79 ฿58.8

24.58%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 ₩4,303

$1.44 ฿47.40

120.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.13 ₩4,239

$1.58 ฿52.1

98.10%

Eggs

$2.67 ₩3,625

$2.13 ฿69.9

25.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.88 ₩14.7K

$19.92 ฿655

-45.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.20 ₩13.8K

$3.43 ฿113

197.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.79 ₩33.6K

$11.33 ฿372

118.80%

Apples (1kg)

$10.87 ₩14.7K

$2.95 ฿97.0

268.47%

Banana (1kg)

$3.54 ₩4,798

$1.72 ฿56.6

105.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.72 ₩10.5K

$2.32 ฿76.5

232.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.95 ₩8,066

$2.08 ฿68.4

186.06%

Potato (1kg)

$5.95 ₩8,071

$1.47 ฿48.34

304.76%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 ₩4,486

$1.36 ฿44.65

143.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.70 ₩3,655

$1.10 ฿36.13

145.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 ₩1,684

$0.57 ฿18.89

117.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 ₩4,309

$4.27 ฿140

-25.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.38 ₩24.9K

$18.42 ฿606

-0.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₩3,260

$1.87 ฿61.5

28.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 ₩4,680

$2.92 ฿96.1

18.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 ₩1,527

$2.22 ฿73.0

-49.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 ₩3,953

$3.03 ฿99.6

-3.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 ₩1,026

$1.07 ฿35.32

-28.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.58 ₩22.5K

$3.93 ฿129

321.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 ₩1,791

$1.49 ฿49.06

-11.41%

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

$28.8K ₩39.0M

$27.1K ฿892.0K

6.16%

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

$32.7K ₩44.3M

$27.5K ฿902.6K

19.14%

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

$193 ₩261.9K

$103 ฿3,380

87.90%

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

$35.67 ₩48.4K

$10.99 ฿361

224.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.37 ₩35.8K

$17.51 ฿576

50.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.6 ₩78.1K

$53.5 ฿1,760

7.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$10.42 ₩14.1K

$7.48 ฿246

39.30%

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

$260 ₩352.4K

$557 ฿18.3K

-53.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.1K ₩28.7M

$11.9K ฿389.7K

78.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 ₩69.3K

$64.1 ฿2,107

-20.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.29 ₩58.7K

$29.07 ฿956

48.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.0 ₩78.6K

$96.0 ฿3,155

-39.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ₩97.4K

$90.3 ฿2,970

-20.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$362 ₩491.1K

$730 ฿24.0K

-50.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$233 ₩316.3K

$500 ฿16.4K

-53.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$717 ₩972.7K

$2,090 ฿68.7K

-65.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 ₩881.9K

$1,209 ฿39.8K

-46.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,368 ₩5.9M

$3,596 ฿118.2K

21.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,380 ₩3.2M

$2,512 ฿82.6K

-5.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,201 ₩3.0M

$503 ฿16.6K

337.25%

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 Ulsan: August 30, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $362 in Ulsan and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ulsan pays 337% 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: $44.00 in Ulsan vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $477 vs $273 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

Ulsan vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 337% higher in Ulsan, 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: $362 in Ulsan versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $260 in Ulsan 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 $44.00 in Ulsan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,253 in Phuket versus $1,322 in Ulsan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Ulsan. 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 Ulsan, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ulsan 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 5% less than in Ulsan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.