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: $1,318 in Dakar versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,218 in Dakar versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,117 in Dakar versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Dakar is roughly 5% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.43 F CFA 3,114

$4.55 ฿153

19.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 F CFA 29.9K

$46.18 ฿1,554

13.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.20 F CFA 5,849

$8.84 ฿298

15.38%

Cappuccino

$4.37 F CFA 2,509

$3.06 ฿103

42.81%

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

$0.89 F CFA 511

$0.73 ฿24.42

21.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.08 F CFA 620

$0.40 ฿13.40

170.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 F CFA 1,551

$2.43 ฿81.8

11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 F CFA 2,584

$3.78 ฿127

19.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.57 F CFA 1,474

$2.26 ฿76.0

13.72%

White Bread (500g)

$0.67 F CFA 385

$1.81 ฿60.9

-62.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 F CFA 927

$2.25 ฿75.8

-28.00%

Eggs

$2.76 F CFA 1,582

$2.25 ฿75.6

22.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.68 F CFA 7,271

$19.51 ฿656

-35.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 F CFA 5,416

$3.65 ฿123

158.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.61 F CFA 6,088

$13.05 ฿439

-18.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.80 F CFA 1,603

$3.23 ฿109

-13.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 F CFA 1,137

$1.62 ฿54.4

22.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 F CFA 1,481

$2.38 ฿80.2

8.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 F CFA 1,227

$2.03 ฿68.2

5.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 F CFA 882

$1.53 ฿51.6

0.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 F CFA 771

$1.50 ฿50.5

-10.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 F CFA 614

$0.98 ฿32.93

9.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 F CFA 468

$0.52 ฿17.40

57.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.55 F CFA 892

$4.44 ฿149

-65.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.02 F CFA 9,762

$18.32 ฿616

-7.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 F CFA 648

$1.86 ฿62.7

-39.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 F CFA 1,282

$2.68 ฿90.2

-16.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 F CFA 208

$1.41 ฿47.49

-74.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.0 F CFA 45.3K

$11.70 ฿394

575.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 F CFA 1,478

$3.11 ฿105

-17.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.80 F CFA 1,607

$1.04 ฿35.08

169.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.55 F CFA 10.1K

$14.11 ฿475

24.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.78 F CFA 1,021

$1.31 ฿44.13

35.88%

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

$36.9K F CFA 21.2M

$27.8K ฿936.0K

32.61%

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

$50.1K F CFA 28.7M

$33.2K ฿1.1M

50.73%

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

$140 F CFA 80.1K

$122 ฿4,120

14.05%

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

$9.57 F CFA 5,488

$13.59 ฿457

-29.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.00 F CFA 28.1K

$18.70 ฿629

162.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.5 F CFA 31.8K

$60.5 ฿2,035

-8.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.51 F CFA 12.3K

$16.98 ฿572

26.68%

Cinema Ticket

$8.75 F CFA 5,019

$9.07 ฿305

-3.53%

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

$268 F CFA 153.5K

$706 ฿23.8K

-62.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,349 F CFA 4.2M

$15.8K ฿531.8K

-53.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.1 F CFA 39.1K

$58.6 ฿1,970

16.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.58 F CFA 25.0K

$35.36 ฿1,190

23.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 F CFA 60.1K

$115 ฿3,885

-9.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 F CFA 73.7K

$83.7 ฿2,818

53.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$931 F CFA 533.8K

$626 ฿21.1K

48.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 F CFA 211.5K

$445 ฿15.0K

-17.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 F CFA 1.1M

$2,040 ฿68.7K

-6.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$933 F CFA 534.8K

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-37.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,047 F CFA 2.9M

$3,483 ฿117.2K

44.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 F CFA 828.4K

$2,577 ฿86.7K

-43.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$420 F CFA 241.0K

$500 ฿16.8K

-15.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.25

5.33

54.78%

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

Last update for Dakar: July 11, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $931 in Dakar and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 19% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $52.0 in Dakar vs $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $279 vs $289, with Dakar 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

Dakar vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dakar and Phuket differ by about 5% in total monthly costs ($1,318 vs $1,250 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 19% 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: $931 in Dakar versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,318 per month in Dakar versus $1,250 in Phuket – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 575% less than in Dakar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,318 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 5% less than in Dakar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.