Cost of Living Comparison Between Dharan and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Dharan and Phuket

Name: Phuket
Address: Phuket, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $332 per month in Dharan vs $1,264 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $560 per month in Dharan vs $2,256 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $788 per month in Dharan vs $3,248 in Phuket, rent included.

Dharan is about 74% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Dharan and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Dharan 75% lower, Phuket 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 NPR 326

$4.48 ฿150

-52.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.61 NPR 2,840

$45.59 ฿1,521

-59.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.41 NPR 978

$8.76 ฿292

-26.83%

Cappuccino

$1.84 NPR 280

$2.97 ฿99.0

-38.05%

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

$0.36 NPR 54.4

$0.69 ฿22.90

-47.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 NPR 23.66

$0.39 ฿13.04

-58.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.55 NPR 389

$2.53 ฿84.4

0.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 NPR 562

$3.75 ฿125

-1.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.66 NPR 100

$2.15 ฿71.6

-69.30%

White Bread (500g)

$0.37 NPR 56.5

$1.82 ฿60.6

-79.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.76 NPR 115

$2.18 ฿72.9

-65.14%

Eggs

$1.57 NPR 240

$2.25 ฿75.0

-30.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.23 NPR 1,104

$20.00 ฿667

-63.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.98 NPR 455

$3.63 ฿121

-17.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.12 NPR 781

$13.56 ฿452

-62.24%

Apples (1kg)

$1.99 NPR 304

$3.24 ฿108

-38.58%

Banana (1kg)

$0.54 NPR 81.8

$1.64 ฿54.6

-67.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.68 NPR 104

$2.33 ฿77.8

-70.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.39 NPR 59.5

$2.07 ฿69.1

-81.16%

Potato (1kg)

$0.30 NPR 46.43

$1.55 ฿51.6

-80.65%

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 NPR 80.2

$1.46 ฿48.54

-63.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 NPR 79.6

$0.98 ฿32.86

-46.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.18 NPR 27.45

$0.48 ฿16.09

-62.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.93 NPR 447

$4.35 ฿145

-32.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.85 NPR 435

$18.57 ฿620

-84.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 NPR 350

$1.86 ฿61.9

23.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 NPR 507

$2.65 ฿88.6

25.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 NPR 28.40

$1.42 ฿47.28

-86.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.22 NPR 338

$3.17 ฿106

-29.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 NPR 124

$1.03 ฿34.41

-21.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.70 NPR 565

$13.89 ฿463

-73.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 NPR 202

$1.34 ฿44.84

-0.75%

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

$31.7K NPR 4.8M

$27.8K ฿927.1K

13.95%

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

$40.1K NPR 6.1M

$33.4K ฿1.1M

20.03%

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

$26.37 NPR 4,025

$123 ฿4,105

-78.57%

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

$4.82 NPR 736

$13.77 ฿459

-65.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.52 NPR 1,759

$18.33 ฿611

-37.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.86 NPR 1,962

$60.7 ฿2,025

-78.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$2.83 NPR 432

$8.87 ฿296

-68.09%

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

$21.97 NPR 3,354

$688 ฿22.9K

-96.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,715 NPR 414.3K

$15.8K ฿526.4K

-82.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$12.60 NPR 1,923

$59.3 ฿1,978

-78.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.37 NPR 4,177

$34.69 ฿1,157

-21.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$29.45 NPR 4,495

$115 ฿3,843

-74.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.13 NPR 5,057

$83.8 ฿2,794

-60.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$40.44 NPR 6,172

$621 ฿20.7K

-93.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$20.36 NPR 3,107

$446 ฿14.9K

-95.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$87.5 NPR 13.3K

$2,034 ฿67.8K

-95.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$54.0 NPR 8,238

$1,496 ฿49.9K

-96.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$132 NPR 20.1K

$494 ฿16.5K

-73.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.08

5.33

126.64%

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

Last update for Dharan: July 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $40.44 in Dharan versus $621 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 274% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Dharan versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $119 vs $291 – making Dharan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Dharan vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 281% more than Dharan, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $498 per month in Dharan and $1,896 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Dharan and $46.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 144% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Dharan, where all-in costs run around $332, than in Phuket at $1,264. In Dharan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Dharan costs $332 versus $1,264 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Dharan. 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.