Cost of Living Comparison Between Dongguan and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Dongguan and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $805 in Dongguan versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,260 in Dongguan versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,716 in Dongguan versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in Dongguan costs roughly 36% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dongguan 41% lower, Phuket 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.17 ¥14.53

$4.56 ฿150

-52.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.45 ¥150

$32.62 ฿1,072

-31.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.17 ¥34.62

$8.90 ฿293

-41.91%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ¥16.87

$2.80 ฿92.2

-10.00%

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

$0.51 ¥3.43

$0.88 ฿28.93

-42.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.93

$0.49 ฿16.08

-40.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.89 ¥5.94

$2.39 ฿78.5

-62.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 ¥14.70

$3.71 ฿122

-40.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ¥10.36

$1.79 ฿58.7

-13.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.68 ¥11.28

$1.44 ฿47.38

16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 ¥6.40

$1.58 ฿52.1

-39.87%

Eggs

$1.67 ¥11.18

$2.13 ฿69.9

-21.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.69 ¥139

$19.92 ฿655

3.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.59 ¥24.04

$3.43 ฿113

4.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.66 ¥98.2

$11.33 ฿372

29.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.21 ¥14.78

$2.95 ฿96.9

-25.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ¥10.68

$1.72 ฿56.6

-7.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 ¥12.44

$2.32 ฿76.4

-19.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 ¥9.53

$2.08 ฿68.4

-31.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 ¥8.12

$1.47 ฿48.33

-17.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 ¥9.84

$1.36 ฿44.64

8.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 ¥3.68

$1.10 ฿36.12

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ¥3.59

$0.57 ฿18.89

-5.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.50 ¥30.14

$4.27 ฿140

5.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.28 ¥82.3

$18.42 ฿605

-33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ¥6.07

$1.87 ฿61.5

-51.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 ¥12.23

$2.92 ฿96.0

-37.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ¥2.57

$2.22 ฿72.9

-82.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.70 ¥152

$22.90 ฿753

-0.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ¥8.10

$3.03 ฿99.6

-60.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 ¥2.69

$1.07 ฿35.31

-62.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.59 ¥30.77

$3.93 ฿129

16.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥8.19

$1.49 ฿49.04

-18.12%

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

$19.5K ¥130.4K

$27.1K ฿891.7K

-28.25%

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

$18.2K ¥122.0K

$27.5K ฿902.3K

-33.68%

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

$63.1 ¥423

$103 ฿3,379

-38.58%

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

$9.28 ¥62.2

$10.99 ฿361

-15.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.74 ¥85.4

$17.51 ฿576

-27.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.7 ¥347

$53.5 ฿1,760

-3.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.26 ¥109

$11.20 ฿368

45.18%

Cinema Ticket

$7.59 ¥50.9

$7.48 ฿246

1.47%

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

$529 ¥3,542

$557 ฿18.3K

-5.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K ¥157.9K

$11.9K ฿389.6K

98.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.53 ¥211

$64.1 ฿2,106

-50.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.51 ¥265

$29.07 ฿956

35.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.1 ¥463

$96.0 ฿3,154

-27.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.86 ¥274

$90.3 ฿2,970

-54.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$374 ¥2,508

$730 ฿24.0K

-48.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$221 ¥1,479

$500 ฿16.4K

-55.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$656 ¥4,396

$2,090 ฿68.7K

-68.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$419 ¥2,809

$1,209 ฿39.7K

-65.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,558 ¥37.2K

$3,596 ฿118.2K

54.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,047 ¥20.4K

$2,512 ฿82.6K

21.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$844 ¥5,656

$503 ฿16.5K

67.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.4

5.57

-38.96%

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

Last update for Dongguan: August 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $374 in Dongguan and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dongguan pays 68% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $22.00 in Dongguan vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 vs $273 per month, with Dongguan 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

Dongguan vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dongguan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 56% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 68% higher in Dongguan, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $374 in Dongguan versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Dongguan runs roughly 1% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $529 in Dongguan versus $557 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $805 in Dongguan versus $1,253 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Dongguan but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Dongguan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Dongguan is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Dongguan 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 Dongguan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.