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: $1,428 in Ulsan versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,216 in Ulsan versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,004 in Ulsan versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Ulsan is roughly 14% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ulsan is 7% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.75 ₩10.0K

$4.55 ฿153

48.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.58 ₩44.0K

$46.18 ฿1,554

-35.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.77 ₩7,101

$8.84 ฿298

-46.04%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ₩4,550

$3.06 ฿103

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

$1.12 ₩1,665

$0.73 ฿24.42

53.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 ₩567

$0.40 ฿13.40

-5.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 ₩3,899

$2.43 ฿81.8

7.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 ₩4,953

$3.78 ฿127

-11.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ₩2,600

$2.26 ฿76.0

-22.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 ₩3,341

$1.81 ฿60.9

24.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 ₩2,674

$2.25 ฿75.8

-20.00%

Eggs

$2.99 ₩4,455

$2.25 ฿75.6

32.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.35 ₩15.4K

$19.51 ฿656

-46.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.31 ₩12.4K

$3.65 ฿123

127.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.98 ₩41.6K

$13.05 ฿439

114.41%

Apples (1kg)

$7.10 ₩10.6K

$3.23 ฿109

119.81%

Banana (1kg)

$3.12 ₩4,650

$1.62 ฿54.4

92.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.42 ₩11.0K

$2.38 ฿80.2

211.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.53 ₩6,747

$2.03 ฿68.2

123.15%

Potato (1kg)

$3.59 ₩5,341

$1.53 ฿51.6

134.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 ₩3,561

$1.50 ฿50.5

59.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 ₩3,023

$0.98 ฿32.93

107.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ₩1,293

$0.52 ฿17.40

67.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.34 ₩4,964

$4.44 ฿149

-24.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.64 ₩24.8K

$18.32 ฿616

-9.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ₩2,512

$1.86 ฿62.7

-9.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 ₩5,030

$2.68 ฿90.2

26.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ₩1,385

$1.41 ฿47.49

-34.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.47 ₩3,672

$3.11 ฿105

-20.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 ₩1,245

$1.04 ฿35.08

-19.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.48 ₩24.5K

$14.11 ฿475

16.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ₩1,817

$1.31 ฿44.13

-6.87%

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

$27.6K ₩41.1M

$27.8K ฿936.0K

-0.65%

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

$24.8K ₩36.9M

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-25.44%

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

$193 ₩287.3K

$122 ฿4,120

57.69%

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

$50.1 ₩74.5K

$13.59 ฿457

268.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.02 ₩41.7K

$18.70 ฿629

49.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.0 ₩89.2K

$60.5 ฿2,035

-0.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

Cinema Ticket

$10.40 ₩15.5K

$9.07 ฿305

14.66%

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

$262 ₩389.4K

$706 ฿23.8K

-62.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K ₩20.9M

$15.8K ฿531.8K

-11.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 ₩150.4K

$58.6 ฿1,970

72.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.02 ₩70.0K

$35.36 ฿1,190

32.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.3 ₩132.9K

$115 ฿3,885

-22.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 ₩171.6K

$83.7 ฿2,818

37.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$277 ₩412.3K

$626 ฿21.1K

-55.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 ₩551.0K

$445 ฿15.0K

-16.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,051 ₩1.6M

$2,040 ฿68.7K

-48.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$760 ₩1.1M

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-49.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,065 ₩6.0M

$3,483 ฿117.2K

16.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,374 ₩3.5M

$2,577 ฿86.7K

-7.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,011 ₩3.0M

$500 ฿16.8K

302.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-24.95%

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

Last update for Ulsan: July 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $277 in Ulsan and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ulsan pays 302% 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: $30.00 in Ulsan vs $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $405 vs $289, 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

Ulsan vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 302% 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: $277 in Ulsan versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $262 in Ulsan versus $706 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 $30.00 in Ulsan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,428 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 14% less than in Ulsan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.