Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Abidjan and Phuket

For one person, living costs are similar in Abidjan and in Phuket: $1,222 and $1,190 a month, rent and utilities included.

Abidjan
🇨🇮 Ivory Coast
$1,222
/mo nomad
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,190
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Abidjan and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Abidjan and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,222 in Abidjan versus $1,190 in Phuket.

  • Abidjan $1,222
  • Phuket $1,190

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,090 in Abidjan versus $2,006 in Phuket.

  • Abidjan $2,090
  • Phuket $2,006

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,957 in Abidjan versus $2,822 in Phuket.

  • Abidjan $2,957
  • Phuket $2,822

Living in Abidjan is roughly 3% more expensive than in Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities sit below the global median: Abidjan 9% lower, Phuket 11% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Abidjan
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.59 F CFA 1,512
$4.35 ฿146
-40.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.8 F CFA 39.6K
$32.45 ฿1,091
108.91%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.46 F CFA 6,113
$8.42 ฿283
24.23%
Cappuccino
$1.85 F CFA 1,079
$2.81 ฿94.4
-34.16%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72 F CFA 419
$0.87 ฿29.42
-17.24%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.76 F CFA 446
$0.46 ฿15.46
65.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.04 F CFA 610
$2.59 ฿86.9
-59.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.66 F CFA 970
$3.64 ฿123
-54.40%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Abidjan
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.10 F CFA 1,229
$1.71 ฿57.4
22.81%
White Bread (500g)
$0.49 F CFA 289
$1.45 ฿48.62
-66.21%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.14 F CFA 666
$1.56 ฿52.5
-26.92%
Eggs
$2.29 F CFA 1,339
$2.10 ฿70.6
9.05%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$25.21 F CFA 14.7K
$19.53 ฿656
29.08%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.73 F CFA 3,348
$3.40 ฿114
68.53%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.00 F CFA 3,508
$11.14 ฿375
-46.14%
Apples (1kg)
$3.91 F CFA 2,285
$2.83 ฿95.2
38.16%
Banana (1kg)
$1.04 F CFA 607
$1.62 ฿54.6
-35.80%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.09 F CFA 1,221
$2.22 ฿74.8
-5.86%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.39 F CFA 1,396
$2.15 ฿72.2
11.16%
Potato (1kg)
$1.76 F CFA 1,031
$1.49 ฿50.2
18.12%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 F CFA 932
$1.33 ฿44.59
19.55%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.59 F CFA 345
$1.07 ฿35.87
-44.86%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.86 F CFA 502
$0.51 ฿17.08
68.63%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.75 F CFA 1,021
$4.38 ฿147
-60.05%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.22 F CFA 3,049
$18.77 ฿631
-72.19%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.06 F CFA 618
$1.74 ฿58.5
-39.08%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.16 F CFA 678
$2.78 ฿93.3
-58.27%
🚌 Getting Around
Abidjan
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.92 F CFA 535
$2.17 ฿72.9
-57.60%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$42.81 F CFA 25.0K
$22.28 ฿749
92.15%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.67 F CFA 976
$3.02 ฿101
-44.70%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.72 F CFA 1,007
$1.06 ฿35.57
62.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$25.89 F CFA 15.1K
$3.71 ฿125
597.84%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.51 F CFA 883
$1.43 ฿48.08
5.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.1K F CFA 16.4M
$26.3K ฿885.8K
6.81%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0K F CFA 15.8M
$26.2K ฿881.0K
3.18%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Abidjan
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$163 F CFA 95.4K
$96.7 ฿3,250
68.80%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.63 F CFA 14.4K
$11.41 ฿384
115.86%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.38 F CFA 20.7K
$17.11 ฿575
106.78%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Abidjan
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$70.0 F CFA 40.9K
$52.8 ฿1,775
32.59%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.29 F CFA 12.4K
$11.07 ฿372
92.32%
Cinema Ticket
$8.65 F CFA 5,058
$7.65 ฿257
13.07%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Abidjan
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$367 F CFA 214.6K
$555 ฿18.7K
-33.83%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,608 F CFA 2.7M
$11.3K ฿379.3K
-59.15%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Abidjan
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$91.0 F CFA 53.2K
$63.4 ฿2,132
43.41%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.71 F CFA 21.5K
$28.61 ฿962
28.31%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$76.2 F CFA 44.5K
$96.7 ฿3,252
-21.22%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$137 F CFA 80.2K
$88.6 ฿2,979
54.91%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Abidjan
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$679 F CFA 396.9K
$735 ฿24.7K
-7.57%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$342 F CFA 200.1K
$458 ฿15.4K
-25.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,604 F CFA 1.5M
$2,102 ฿70.7K
23.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,010 F CFA 590.4K
$1,187 ฿39.9K
-14.91%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,189 F CFA 1.3M
$3,493 ฿117.4K
-37.33%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$675 F CFA 394.8K
$2,491 ฿83.8K
-72.89%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Abidjan
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$215 F CFA 126.0K
$501 ฿16.8K
-56.98%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
15.75
5.57
182.76%

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

Last update for Abidjan: October 6, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Abidjan
$342
Phuket
$458 33.8% $116
Groceries & Markets
Abidjan
$247
Phuket
$268 8.4% $21
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Abidjan
$223
Phuket
$125 43.9% $98
Clothing & Footwear
Abidjan
$154
Phuket
$125 18.7% $29
Eating Out
Abidjan
$89
Phuket
$119 34.5% $31
Sport & Entertainment
Abidjan
$87
Phuket
$68 22% $19
Getting Around
Abidjan
$57
Phuket
$39 30.8% $18

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $679 in Abidjan and $735 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 132% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $68.0 in Abidjan vs $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $247 vs $268, with Abidjan cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇨🇮 Abidjan
🇹🇭 Phuket
🕒 Local time
06:21 6:21 AM
13:21 1:21 PM
7 h ahead of Abidjan
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
7,567,409
79,308
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to XOF – West African CFA Franc Converter

West African CFA Franc exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 585 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.71 USD). 1 EUR = 656 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.53 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 33.62 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.71 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Abidjan Phuket 11,280 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Abidjan
  • Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Phuket cheaper than Abidjan?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in clothing, leisure, and utilities. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Abidjan or Phuket?
On paper, salaries run 132% lower in Phuket. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Abidjan and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $679 in Abidjan versus $735 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in Abidjan or in Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $68.0 in Abidjan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
What are total monthly expenses in Abidjan and in Phuket?
All in, you'll spend $1,222 per month in Abidjan versus $1,190 in Phuket – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Abidjan or in Phuket?
At $1,190 in Phuket versus $1,222 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.
Is Abidjan or Phuket more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Abidjan or Phuket?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Abidjan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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