Cost of Living Comparison Between Datong and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Datong and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $720 in Datong versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,149 in Datong versus $2,089 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,578 in Datong versus $2,913 in Phuket.

Living in Datong costs roughly 43% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Datong 48% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.73 ¥18.31

$4.66 ฿154

-41.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.78 ¥146

$32.22 ฿1,065

-32.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.89 ¥32.78

$8.68 ฿287

-43.66%

Cappuccino

$3.01 ¥20.16

$2.90 ฿95.8

3.79%

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

$0.43 ¥2.90

$0.84 ฿27.89

-48.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.78

$0.49 ฿16.16

-44.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.93 ¥6.22

$2.48 ฿82.0

-62.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 ¥13.64

$3.73 ฿123

-45.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 ¥12.16

$1.89 ฿62.3

-3.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ¥10.75

$1.41 ฿46.54

13.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.96 ¥6.43

$1.62 ฿53.6

-40.74%

Eggs

$1.56 ¥10.44

$2.24 ฿74.1

-30.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.63 ¥84.6

$19.84 ฿656

-36.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.13 ¥20.98

$3.48 ฿115

-10.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.15 ¥68.0

$11.37 ฿376

-10.73%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.16

$2.90 ฿95.8

-37.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 ¥8.04

$1.72 ฿57.0

-30.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 ¥10.21

$2.27 ฿75.1

-33.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 ¥7.67

$2.13 ฿70.4

-46.01%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 ¥5.05

$1.47 ฿48.72

-48.98%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.47

$1.42 ฿46.92

-31.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 ¥3.80

$1.10 ฿36.25

-48.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ¥3.63

$0.60 ฿19.76

-10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.16 ¥21.14

$4.31 ฿142

-26.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.55 ¥70.6

$18.60 ฿615

-43.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ¥4.93

$1.80 ฿59.5

-58.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 ¥10.71

$2.97 ฿98.0

-46.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 ¥1.79

$2.25 ฿74.2

-88.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.50 ¥111

$23.49 ฿776

-29.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 ¥9.18

$3.10 ฿102

-55.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ¥2.18

$1.08 ฿35.56

-69.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.76 ¥45.28

$3.87 ฿128

74.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥7.58

$1.43 ฿47.16

-20.98%

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

$19.3K ¥129.4K

$27.8K ฿918.0K

-30.46%

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

$17.4K ¥116.3K

$27.0K ฿891.5K

-35.64%

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

$45.67 ¥306

$105 ฿3,462

-56.42%

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

$9.93 ¥66.5

$11.39 ฿376

-12.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.86 ¥79.5

$17.54 ฿580

-32.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.18 ¥276

$54.3 ฿1,795

-24.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.00 ¥93.8

$11.44 ฿378

22.38%

Cinema Ticket

$5.86 ¥39.22

$7.78 ฿257

-24.68%

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

$329 ¥2,204

$576 ฿19.0K

-42.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K ¥114.0K

$11.6K ฿382.7K

46.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.49 ¥298

$63.6 ฿2,103

-30.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.62 ¥205

$29.10 ฿961

5.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.8 ¥481

$96.2 ฿3,179

-25.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ¥481

$90.0 ฿2,974

-20.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$280 ¥1,873

$733 ฿24.2K

-61.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$195 ¥1,307

$501 ฿16.5K

-61.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$582 ¥3,895

$2,126 ฿70.2K

-72.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 ¥2,415

$1,252 ฿41.4K

-71.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,031 ¥20.3K

$3,534 ฿116.8K

-14.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,054 ¥13.8K

$2,622 ฿86.6K

-21.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.89

5.57

-30.16%

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

Last update for Datong: September 6, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $280 in Datong and $733 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $22.00 in Datong vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $197 vs $275 per month, with Datong 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

Datong vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Datong wins on cost – living expenses run 76% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Datong the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,080 in Datong and $1,898 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $280 in Datong versus $733 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $329 in Datong versus $576 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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

At $720 in Datong versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Datong but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Datong the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Datong delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $720 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Datong hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Datong 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 Datong gentler on the wallet – expenses run 76% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.