Cost of Living Comparison Between Cotonou and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Cotonou and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $997 in Cotonou versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,426 in Cotonou versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,854 in Cotonou versus $3,248 in Phuket.

Living in Cotonou costs roughly 21% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cotonou 25% lower, Phuket 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.46 F CFA 1,980

$4.48 ฿150

-22.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.77 F CFA 15.3K

$45.59 ฿1,525

-41.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.16 F CFA 2,946

$8.76 ฿293

-41.10%

Cappuccino

$5.56 F CFA 3,175

$2.97 ฿99.3

87.21%

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

$0.86 F CFA 492

$0.69 ฿22.96

24.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 F CFA 449

$0.39 ฿13.07

102.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.40 F CFA 799

$2.53 ฿84.7

-44.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 F CFA 2,060

$3.75 ฿125

-3.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.58 F CFA 1,472

$2.15 ฿71.8

20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 F CFA 820

$1.82 ฿60.7

-20.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 F CFA 1,100

$2.18 ฿73.1

-11.93%

Eggs

$2.22 F CFA 1,271

$2.25 ฿75.2

-1.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.25 F CFA 5,288

$20.00 ฿669

-53.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.05 F CFA 2,888

$3.63 ฿121

39.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.16 F CFA 2,949

$13.56 ฿453

-61.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.88 F CFA 2,217

$3.24 ฿109

19.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 F CFA 784

$1.64 ฿54.7

-16.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.21 F CFA 694

$2.33 ฿78.0

-48.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 F CFA 995

$2.07 ฿69.3

-15.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 F CFA 766

$1.55 ฿51.8

-13.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 F CFA 859

$1.46 ฿48.67

2.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.51 F CFA 293

$0.98 ฿32.94

-47.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 F CFA 705

$0.48 ฿16.13

156.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 F CFA 1,341

$4.35 ฿146

-45.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.28 F CFA 2,446

$18.57 ฿621

-76.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 F CFA 686

$1.86 ฿62.1

-35.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 F CFA 1,309

$2.65 ฿88.8

-13.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.80 F CFA 1,030

$1.42 ฿47.40

26.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿387

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 F CFA 789

$3.17 ฿106

-56.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.25 F CFA 712

$1.03 ฿34.51

21.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.74 F CFA 994

$13.89 ฿465

-87.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 F CFA 636

$1.34 ฿44.96

-17.16%

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

$27.8K ฿929.6K

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

$24.9K F CFA 14.2M

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-25.47%

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

$266 F CFA 152.1K

$123 ฿4,116

116.33%

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

$43.54 F CFA 24.9K

$13.77 ฿461

216.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.1 F CFA 32.0K

$18.33 ฿613

205.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.8 F CFA 33.6K

$60.7 ฿2,030

-3.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.40 F CFA 3,086

$17.16 ฿574

-68.53%

Cinema Ticket

$7.51 F CFA 4,294

$8.87 ฿297

-15.33%

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

$185 F CFA 105.5K

$688 ฿23.0K

-73.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,379 F CFA 3.6M

$15.8K ฿527.8K

-59.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.45 F CFA 9,972

$59.3 ฿1,984

-70.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.70 F CFA 4,972

$34.69 ฿1,160

-74.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$9.04 F CFA 5,169

$115 ฿3,853

-92.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.16 F CFA 28.1K

$83.8 ฿2,802

-41.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$199 F CFA 113.8K

$621 ฿20.8K

-67.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$149 F CFA 85.2K

$446 ฿14.9K

-66.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$571 F CFA 326.4K

$2,034 ฿68.0K

-71.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$283 F CFA 161.6K

$1,496 ฿50.0K

-81.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$171 F CFA 97.9K

$494 ฿16.5K

-65.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-6.19%

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

Last update for Cotonou: July 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $199 in Cotonou and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 188% 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: $27.00 in Cotonou vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $209 vs $291 per month, with Cotonou 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

Cotonou vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cotonou is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 27% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 188% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $199 in Cotonou versus $621 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 39% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $997 per month in Cotonou versus $1,264 in Phuket – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $997 in Cotonou versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cotonou but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Cotonou the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cotonou is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cotonou 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 Cotonou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.