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: $1,327 in Dakar versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,194 in Dakar versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,061 in Dakar versus $3,329 in Phuket.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.42 F CFA 3,058

$4.70 ฿153

15.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.3 F CFA 30.1K

$45.37 ฿1,482

17.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.21 F CFA 5,755

$8.43 ฿275

21.12%

Cappuccino

$4.43 F CFA 2,498

$2.93 ฿95.6

51.19%

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

$0.86 F CFA 484

$0.69 ฿22.40

24.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 F CFA 615

$0.37 ฿11.99

194.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 F CFA 1,450

$2.41 ฿78.6

6.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 F CFA 2,457

$3.72 ฿122

17.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.52 F CFA 1,423

$2.23 ฿72.9

13.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.64 F CFA 360

$1.83 ฿59.8

-65.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 F CFA 906

$2.17 ฿70.8

-25.81%

Eggs

$2.88 F CFA 1,625

$2.21 ฿72.3

30.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.78 F CFA 7,209

$19.74 ฿645

-35.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.50 F CFA 5,357

$3.63 ฿119

161.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.76 F CFA 6,069

$13.53 ฿442

-20.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 F CFA 1,536

$3.28 ฿107

-17.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 F CFA 1,121

$1.61 ฿52.6

23.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 F CFA 1,473

$2.41 ฿78.6

8.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 F CFA 1,174

$2.08 ฿68.1

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 F CFA 844

$1.53 ฿49.93

-1.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 F CFA 758

$1.48 ฿48.36

-9.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 F CFA 600

$0.99 ฿32.29

7.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 F CFA 460

$0.51 ฿16.67

60.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.61 F CFA 908

$4.41 ฿144

-63.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.38 F CFA 8,674

$19.38 ฿633

-20.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 F CFA 667

$1.78 ฿58.1

-33.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 F CFA 1,254

$2.71 ฿88.6

-18.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 F CFA 204

$1.37 ฿44.79

-73.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 F CFA 45.4K

$11.39 ฿372

607.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 F CFA 1,514

$3.02 ฿98.6

-11.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.83 F CFA 1,598

$0.99 ฿32.48

185.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.99 F CFA 10.1K

$14.10 ฿461

27.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 F CFA 963

$1.36 ฿44.51

25.74%

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

$36.1K F CFA 20.4M

$28.2K ฿921.1K

27.95%

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

$49.2K F CFA 27.8M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

49.66%

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

$138 F CFA 78.0K

$122 ฿3,975

13.70%

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

$9.92 F CFA 5,597

$13.57 ฿443

-26.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.4 F CFA 28.4K

$18.31 ฿598

175.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 F CFA 31.8K

$60.2 ฿1,967

-6.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.41 F CFA 12.1K

$17.14 ฿560

24.91%

Cinema Ticket

$9.02 F CFA 5,086

$8.69 ฿284

3.80%

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

$272 F CFA 153.4K

$693 ฿22.6K

-60.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,169 F CFA 4.0M

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-54.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.6 F CFA 38.7K

$59.5 ฿1,944

15.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.93 F CFA 24.8K

$34.77 ฿1,136

26.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 F CFA 58.2K

$115 ฿3,743

-9.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 F CFA 74.1K

$83.3 ฿2,720

57.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$914 F CFA 515.2K

$613 ฿20.0K

49.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 F CFA 208.2K

$437 ฿14.3K

-15.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,863 F CFA 1.1M

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-11.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$938 F CFA 528.9K

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-37.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,996 F CFA 2.8M

$3,749 ฿122.5K

33.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,491 F CFA 841.1K

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-42.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$431 F CFA 243.2K

$508 ฿16.6K

-15.12%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $914 in Dakar and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 18% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $53.0 in Dakar vs $45.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $276 vs $293, 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 ($1,327 vs $1,265 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Phuket earns 18% 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: $914 in Dakar versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,327 per month in Dakar versus $1,265 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 607% less than in Dakar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,327 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.