Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between David and Phuket

Name: Phuket
Address: Phuket, TH

For one person, living is cheaper in David: $882 a month against $1,207 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $3,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index

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David

🇵🇦 Panama

$882

/mo nomad

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,207

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in David and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in David and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $882 per month in David vs $1,207 in Phuket, rent included.

David $882
Phuket $1,207

A couple spends around $946 per month in David vs $2,037 in Phuket, rent included.

David $946
Phuket $2,037

A family of three spends $1,011 per month in David vs $2,867 in Phuket, rent included.

David $1,011
Phuket $2,867

David is about 27% cheaper than Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both David and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – David 35% lower, Phuket 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.52 PAB 5.52

$4.58 ฿153

20.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.03 PAB 37.03

$32.48 ฿1,086

14.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.27 PAB 7.27

$8.55 ฿286

-14.97%

Cappuccino

$3.13 PAB 3.13

$2.72 ฿91.0

15.07%

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

$1.47 PAB 1.47

$0.94 ฿31.25

56.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 PAB 1.52

$0.49 ฿16.39

210.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 PAB 1.99

$2.59 ฿86.6

-23.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 PAB 2.72

$3.83 ฿128

-28.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 PAB 1.73

$1.74 ฿58.1

-0.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 PAB 2.26

$1.43 ฿47.82

58.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.46 PAB 2.46

$1.53 ฿51.0

60.78%

Eggs

$2.41 PAB 2.41

$2.17 ฿72.7

11.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.15 ฿640

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿110

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.14 ฿372

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿98.5

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.1

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 ฿76.8

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿71.3

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.1

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿45.55

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 PAB 1.99

$1.12 ฿37.44

77.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

Wine (Bottle)

$10.18 PAB 10.18

$18.19 ฿608

-44.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ฿58.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 ฿93.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 PAB 0.76

$2.22 ฿74.1

-65.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.06 ฿737

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 PAB 2.96

$2.91 ฿97.3

1.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 PAB 2.04

$1.01 ฿33.79

101.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.83 ฿128

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 PAB 1.07

$1.49 ฿49.85

-28.19%

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

$25.0K PAB 25.0K

$26.7K ฿891.6K

-6.44%

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

$30.6K PAB 30.6K

$26.7K ฿892.7K

14.38%

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

$184 PAB 184

$99.4 ฿3,321

84.83%

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

$28.48 PAB 28.48

$11.28 ฿377

152.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.40 PAB 49.40

$17.36 ฿580

184.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.21 PAB 31.21

$52.3 ฿1,747

-40.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.85 ฿362

Cinema Ticket

$7.57 ฿253

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

$558 ฿18.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,091 PAB 6,091

$11.5K ฿383.9K

-46.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 ฿2,102

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.58 ฿955

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.1 ฿3,213

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.1 ฿2,943

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$343 PAB 343

$729 ฿24.4K

-52.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$354 PAB 354

$460 ฿15.4K

-22.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,096 ฿70.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,222 ฿40.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,459 ฿115.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,489 ฿83.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$604 PAB 604

$493 ฿16.5K

22.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

25.67%

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

Last update for David: October 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

David

–

Phuket

$460 38.1%

Groceries & Markets

David

–

Phuket

$268 22.2%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

David

–

Phuket

$128 10.6%

Clothing & Footwear

David

–

Phuket

$124 10.3%

Eating Out

David

–

Phuket

$121 10.1%

Sport & Entertainment

David

–

Phuket

$67 5.6%

Getting Around

David

–

Phuket

$39 3.2%

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $343 in David versus $729 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 23% higher in David, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in David versus $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $88.0 in David vs $268 in Phuket – so David wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇵🇦 David

🇹🇭 Phuket

🕒 Local time

12:15 12:15 PM

00:15 12:15 AM

12 h ahead of David

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

82,907

79,308

💱 Currency

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.89 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to PAB – Panamanian Balboa Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇦 Panamanian Balboa (B/.)

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 PAB (1 PAB = 0.89 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to PAB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

David Phuket 18,200 km ≈ 23 h nonstop flight

From you

David
Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

David vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 37%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,323 per month in David and $1,811 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in David, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 205% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in David and $32.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in David, where all-in costs run around $882, than in Phuket at $1,207. In David it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward David – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with David. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.