Cost of Living Comparison Between Abidjan and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Abidjan and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,325 in Abidjan versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,172 in Abidjan versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,020 in Abidjan versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Abidjan is roughly 5% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Abidjan 1% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 F CFA 1,947

$4.70 ฿153

-26.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.7 F CFA 30.3K

$45.37 ฿1,482

18.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.66 F CFA 6,012

$8.43 ฿275

26.45%

Cappuccino

$1.81 F CFA 1,020

$2.93 ฿95.6

-38.23%

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

$0.86 F CFA 485

$0.69 ฿22.40

24.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 F CFA 467

$0.37 ฿11.99

124.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 F CFA 580

$2.41 ฿78.6

-57.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 F CFA 1,008

$3.72 ฿122

-51.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.34 F CFA 1,322

$2.23 ฿72.9

4.93%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 F CFA 350

$1.83 ฿59.8

-66.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 F CFA 728

$2.17 ฿70.8

-40.55%

Eggs

$2.29 F CFA 1,290

$2.21 ฿72.3

3.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.28 F CFA 13.1K

$19.74 ฿645

17.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.59 F CFA 4,846

$3.63 ฿119

136.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.24 F CFA 3,519

$13.53 ฿442

-53.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.91 F CFA 2,203

$3.28 ฿107

19.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 F CFA 646

$1.61 ฿52.6

-28.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 F CFA 1,238

$2.41 ฿78.6

-8.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 F CFA 1,145

$2.08 ฿68.1

-2.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 F CFA 949

$1.53 ฿49.93

9.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.75 F CFA 989

$1.48 ฿48.36

18.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 F CFA 502

$0.99 ฿32.29

-10.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 F CFA 512

$0.51 ฿16.67

78.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.73 F CFA 973

$4.41 ฿144

-60.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.25 F CFA 3,524

$19.38 ฿633

-67.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 F CFA 596

$1.78 ฿58.1

-40.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 F CFA 803

$2.71 ฿88.6

-47.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 F CFA 555

$1.37 ฿44.79

-28.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.40 F CFA 27.9K

$11.39 ฿372

333.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.74 F CFA 982

$3.02 ฿98.6

-42.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 F CFA 873

$0.99 ฿32.48

56.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.56 F CFA 15.0K

$14.10 ฿461

88.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 F CFA 876

$1.36 ฿44.51

13.97%

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

$32.3K F CFA 18.2M

$28.2K ฿921.1K

14.48%

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

$29.8K F CFA 16.8M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-9.31%

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

$183 F CFA 103.0K

$122 ฿3,975

50.13%

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

$36.19 F CFA 20.4K

$13.57 ฿443

166.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.08 F CFA 25.4K

$18.31 ฿598

146.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.6 F CFA 45.5K

$60.2 ฿1,967

33.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.96 F CFA 12.4K

$17.14 ฿560

28.12%

Cinema Ticket

$8.91 F CFA 5,024

$8.69 ฿284

2.53%

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

$285 F CFA 161.0K

$693 ฿22.6K

-58.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,287 F CFA 1.9M

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-79.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.7 F CFA 52.3K

$59.5 ฿1,944

55.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.9 F CFA 32.6K

$34.77 ฿1,136

66.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 F CFA 47.7K

$115 ฿3,743

-26.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 F CFA 77.6K

$83.3 ฿2,720

65.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$623 F CFA 351.4K

$613 ฿20.0K

1.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$399 F CFA 225.0K

$437 ฿14.3K

-8.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,880 F CFA 1.1M

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-10.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$920 F CFA 518.8K

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-39.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,302 F CFA 1.3M

$3,749 ฿122.5K

-38.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$707 F CFA 398.8K

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-72.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$221 F CFA 124.7K

$508 ฿16.6K

-56.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.75

5.33

176.74%

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

Last update for Abidjan: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $623 in Abidjan and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 130% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $54.0 in Abidjan vs $45.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $264 vs $293, with Abidjan 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

Abidjan vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Phuket earns 130% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $623 in Abidjan versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $54.0 in Abidjan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,325 per month in Abidjan versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,325 in Abidjan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Abidjan. 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 Abidjan, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

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