Cost of Living Comparison Between Dili and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Dili and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,739 per month in Dili vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,621 per month in Dili vs $2,255 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,503 per month in Dili vs $3,279 in Phuket, rent included.

Dili costs about 41% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Dili sits 30% above the global median, while Phuket is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.92 $4.92

$4.63 ฿151

6.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.67 $45.67

$46.84 ฿1,523

-2.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 $7.86

$8.84 ฿287

-11.09%

Cappuccino

$3.86 $3.86

$3.00 ฿97.4

28.67%

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

$1.61 $1.61

$0.74 ฿24.11

117.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 $1.38

$0.37 ฿11.88

272.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.44 ฿79.3

-19.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.54 $4.54

$3.61 ฿117

25.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.26 ฿73.5

11.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 $2.38

$1.84 ฿59.8

29.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.24 ฿73.0

-11.61%

Eggs

$2.73 $2.73

$2.32 ฿75.3

17.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.05 $2.05

$19.67 ฿639

-89.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 $9.53

$3.65 ฿119

161.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.98 $15.98

$13.10 ฿426

21.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 $3.43

$3.39 ฿110

1.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.64 ฿53.4

14.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.41 ฿78.5

-16.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.03 ฿66.0

25.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.56 ฿50.6

24.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.50 ฿48.66

-19.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.02 ฿33.30

0.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 $0.97

$0.49 ฿15.91

97.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.80 $2.80

$4.45 ฿145

-37.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.84 $11.84

$18.88 ฿614

-37.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.78 ฿57.7

24.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 $2.75

$2.75 ฿89.5

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 $0.24

$1.40 ฿45.54

-82.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿373

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 $3.58

$3.12 ฿101

14.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.27 $3.27

$1.00 ฿32.48

227.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.35 $20.35

$14.09 ฿458

44.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.35 ฿43.93

14.81%

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

$27.2K ฿883.7K

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

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

$151 $151

$125 ฿4,063

20.84%

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

$29.88 $29.88

$13.57 ฿441

120.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.80 $49.80

$18.52 ฿602

168.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.4 $50.4

$61.5 ฿1,999

-17.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.94 $2.94

$16.84 ฿547

-82.54%

Cinema Ticket

$5.41 $5.41

$9.19 ฿299

-41.13%

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

$698 ฿22.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K $16.1K

$15.6K ฿506.9K

3.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.4 $60.4

$57.8 ฿1,878

4.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.56 $29.56

$35.24 ฿1,146

-16.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.1 $79.1

$113 ฿3,677

-30.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.2 $59.2

$86.4 ฿2,808

-31.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 $1,086

$616 ฿20.0K

76.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$945 $945

$446 ฿14.5K

111.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,427 $3,427

$2,048 ฿66.6K

67.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,650 $1,650

$1,492 ฿48.5K

10.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿122.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,583 $3,583

$524 ฿17.0K

583.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.37

5.33

0.75%

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

Last update for Dili: April 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Dili versus $616 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 584% higher in Dili, 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 $46.00 in Dili versus $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $283 vs $292 – making Dili 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

Dili vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Dili is pricier by about 41%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,609 per month in Dili and $1,847 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Dili – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Dili and $47.00 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 Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,232, than in Dili at $1,739. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dili it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Phuket – 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 Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Dili makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.