Cost of Living Comparison Between Dakar and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Dakar and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,470 in Dakar versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,312 in Dakar versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,154 in Dakar versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in Dakar is roughly 17% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Dakar is 7% above, Phuket is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.22 F CFA 2,943

$4.56 ฿150

14.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.8 F CFA 31.5K

$32.62 ฿1,073

71.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.44 F CFA 6,446

$8.90 ฿293

28.54%

Cappuccino

$3.56 F CFA 2,006

$2.80 ฿92.2

27.14%

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

$1.25 F CFA 707

$0.88 ฿28.94

42.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 F CFA 501

$0.49 ฿16.08

81.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.61 F CFA 1,470

$2.39 ฿78.5

9.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 F CFA 2,467

$3.71 ฿122

18.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.85 F CFA 1,604

$1.79 ฿58.8

59.22%

White Bread (500g)

$0.77 F CFA 434

$1.44 ฿47.40

-46.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 F CFA 996

$1.58 ฿52.1

12.03%

Eggs

$2.54 F CFA 1,431

$2.13 ฿69.9

19.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.81 F CFA 10.0K

$19.92 ฿655

-10.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.26 F CFA 5,220

$3.43 ฿113

169.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.35 F CFA 6,395

$11.33 ฿372

0.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 F CFA 1,886

$2.95 ฿97.0

13.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 F CFA 1,136

$1.72 ฿56.6

16.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.97 F CFA 1,674

$2.32 ฿76.5

28.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.87 F CFA 1,054

$2.08 ฿68.4

-10.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 F CFA 784

$1.47 ฿48.34

-5.44%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 F CFA 556

$1.36 ฿44.65

-27.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 F CFA 642

$1.10 ฿36.13

3.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 F CFA 378

$0.57 ฿18.89

17.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 F CFA 1,225

$4.27 ฿140

-49.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.05 F CFA 10.2K

$18.42 ฿606

-2.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 F CFA 911

$1.87 ฿61.5

-13.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 F CFA 1,897

$2.92 ฿96.1

15.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 F CFA 215

$2.22 ฿73.0

-82.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.3 F CFA 45.8K

$22.90 ฿753

254.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 F CFA 1,270

$3.03 ฿99.6

-25.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.25 F CFA 1,267

$1.07 ฿35.32

110.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.99 F CFA 10.1K

$3.93 ฿129

357.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.68 F CFA 946

$1.49 ฿49.06

12.75%

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

$52.4K F CFA 29.5M

$27.1K ฿892.0K

93.07%

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

$49.8K F CFA 28.1M

$27.5K ฿902.6K

81.57%

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

$213 F CFA 119.9K

$103 ฿3,380

106.90%

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

$11.99 F CFA 6,756

$10.99 ฿361

9.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.19 F CFA 26.6K

$17.51 ฿576

169.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.17 F CFA 26.0K

$53.5 ฿1,760

-13.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.08 F CFA 13.6K

$11.20 ฿368

115.00%

Cinema Ticket

$8.72 F CFA 4,916

$7.48 ฿246

16.58%

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

$330 F CFA 186.1K

$557 ฿18.3K

-40.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K F CFA 6.1M

$11.9K ฿389.7K

-9.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 F CFA 33.6K

$64.1 ฿2,107

-6.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.50 F CFA 26.8K

$29.07 ฿956

63.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.6 F CFA 50.5K

$96.0 ฿3,155

-6.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 F CFA 56.4K

$90.3 ฿2,970

10.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$841 F CFA 474.1K

$730 ฿24.0K

15.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 F CFA 250.8K

$500 ฿16.4K

-10.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,781 F CFA 1.0M

$2,090 ฿68.7K

-14.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$957 F CFA 539.4K

$1,209 ฿39.8K

-20.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,987 F CFA 2.8M

$3,596 ฿118.2K

38.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,582 F CFA 891.6K

$2,512 ฿82.6K

-37.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$352 F CFA 198.4K

$503 ฿16.6K

-30.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.75

5.57

57.09%

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

Last update for Dakar: August 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $841 in Dakar and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 43% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $56.0 in Dakar vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $307 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

Dakar vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dakar and Phuket differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($1,470 vs $1,253 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 43% 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: $841 in Dakar versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,470 per month in Dakar versus $1,253 in Phuket – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 255% less than in Dakar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,253 in Phuket versus $1,470 in Dakar, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Dakar. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Dakar 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 17% less than in Dakar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.