🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $722 in Dongying versus $1,232 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,122 in Dongying versus $2,054 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,522 in Dongying versus $2,876 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Dongying costs roughly 41% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Dongying47% lower, Phuket10% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Dongying
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.72¥18.21
$4.41฿147
-38.32%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$21.48¥144
$32.26฿1,075
-33.42%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.77¥31.88
$8.93฿298
-46.58%
Cappuccino
$3.01¥20.11
$2.90฿96.5
3.79%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.43¥2.88
$0.88฿29.33
-51.14%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.27¥1.80
$0.48฿16.03
-43.75%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$0.94¥6.29
$2.35฿78.3
-60.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.15¥14.39
$3.72฿124
-42.20%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Dongying
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.79¥11.94
$1.87฿62.2
-4.28%
White Bread(500g)
$1.60¥10.71
$1.47฿48.86
8.84%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.97¥6.49
$1.55฿51.7
-37.42%
Eggs
$1.60¥10.72
$2.10฿70.0
-23.81%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.91¥86.4
$19.59฿653
-34.10%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.20¥21.41
$3.42฿114
-6.43%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.25¥68.5
$11.38฿379
-9.93%
Apples(1kg)
$1.80¥12.07
$2.98฿99.4
-39.60%
Banana(1kg)
$1.20¥8.04
$1.68฿56.1
-28.57%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.47¥9.84
$2.21฿73.6
-33.48%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.14¥7.62
$2.16฿72.0
-47.22%
Potato(1kg)
$0.76¥5.05
$1.52฿50.8
-50.00%
Onion(1kg)
$0.97¥6.50
$1.34฿44.59
-27.61%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.57¥3.78
$1.13฿37.60
-49.56%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51¥3.40
$0.55฿18.21
-7.27%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.17¥21.20
$4.26฿142
-25.59%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.68¥71.4
$19.09฿636
-44.05%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.80¥5.35
$1.78฿59.3
-55.06%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.59¥10.63
$2.78฿92.7
-42.81%
🚌 Getting Around
Dongying
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.29¥1.94
$2.23฿74.3
-87.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$17.00¥114
$22.74฿758
-25.24%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.42¥9.48
$3.03฿101
-53.14%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.35¥2.34
$1.02฿34.09
-65.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$6.75¥45.16
$3.89฿130
73.52%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.14¥7.60
$1.49฿49.68
-23.49%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.3K¥129.3K
$26.6K฿885.7K
-27.26%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$17.2K¥114.8K
$27.0K฿900.6K
-36.49%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dongying
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$44.57¥298
$102฿3,414
-56.50%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.78¥65.4
$11.33฿377
-13.68%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$11.95¥79.9
$17.40฿580
-31.32%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Dongying
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$41.34¥276
$52.1฿1,735
-20.62%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.86¥92.7
$11.07฿369
25.20%
Cinema Ticket
$6.08¥40.67
$7.69฿256
-20.94%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Dongying
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$338¥2,262
$561฿18.7K
-39.67%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$17.2K¥114.8K
$11.5K฿383.4K
49.14%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Dongying
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.20¥296
$63.0฿2,100
-29.87%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.61¥205
$29.52฿984
3.69%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$72.1¥482
$98.0฿3,266
-26.45%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$72.2¥483
$88.5฿2,949
-18.42%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Dongying
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$283¥1,895
$738฿24.6K
-61.63%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$190¥1,272
$482฿16.1K
-60.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$583¥3,898
$2,107฿70.2K
-72.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$356¥2,382
$1,226฿40.8K
-70.94%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,001¥20.1K
$3,617฿120.5K
-17.03%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,039¥13.6K
$2,603฿86.7K
-21.67%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Dongying
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$494฿16.4K
-
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 Dongying: September 15, 2026
Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $283 in Dongying and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $21.00 in Dongying vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $199 vs $274 per month, with Dongying 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
Dongying vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Dongying?
Dongying is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 71% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,083 in Dongying and $1,847 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.
What is the rent difference between Dongying and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $283 in Dongying versus $738 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $338 in Dongying versus $561 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Dongying and in Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 38% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Dongying or in Phuket?
At $722 in Dongying versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Dongying but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Dongying the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Dongying or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Dongying 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.
Which city is safer, Dongying or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Dongying 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Dongying gentler on the wallet – expenses run 71% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.