Cost of Living Comparison Between Dorado and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Dorado and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,481 in Dorado versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,244 in Dorado versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,008 in Dorado versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Dorado is roughly 17% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Dorado is 10% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.63 $18.63

$4.56 ฿149

308.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.9 $81.9

$46.63 ฿1,519

75.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.61 $9.61

$8.47 ฿276

13.46%

Cappuccino

$3.63 $3.63

$3.03 ฿98.6

19.80%

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

$1.72 $1.72

$0.69 ฿22.45

149.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 $1.45

$0.37 ฿11.92

291.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.49 ฿81.0

18.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 $4.56

$3.66 ฿119

24.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.18 ฿71.0

13.30%

White Bread (500g)

$3.44 $3.44

$1.90 ฿62.0

81.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.20 ฿71.6

-1.82%

Eggs

$5.91 $5.91

$2.22 ฿72.4

166.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.92 $8.92

$19.99 ฿651

-55.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.72 $8.72

$3.66 ฿119

138.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 $12.78

$13.25 ฿432

-3.55%

Apples (1kg)

$5.95 $5.95

$3.23 ฿105

84.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.70 ฿55.3

54.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.01 $4.01

$2.39 ฿78.0

67.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.10 $4.10

$2.08 ฿67.7

97.12%

Potato (1kg)

$4.10 $4.10

$1.59 ฿51.8

157.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.48 ฿48.31

96.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.02 $3.02

$1.03 ฿33.54

193.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.52 ฿16.83

276.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.99 $11.99

$4.25 ฿138

182.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.87 $15.87

$18.79 ฿612

-15.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$1.76 ฿57.2

39.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.76 ฿89.8

13.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.12 $5.12

$3.14 ฿102

63.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.04 ฿33.74

46.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.98 $14.98

$13.77 ฿448

8.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.34 ฿43.79

-26.87%

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

$36.4K $36.4K

$27.7K ฿901.4K

31.48%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-20.80%

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

$479 $479

$124 ฿4,025

287.86%

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

$28.30 $28.30

$13.52 ฿440

109.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.1 $66.1

$18.69 ฿609

253.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.9 $59.9

$61.8 ฿2,013

-3.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.85 $9.85

$9.14 ฿298

7.77%

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

$305 $305

$703 ฿22.9K

-56.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,914 $4,914

$15.9K ฿517.0K

-69.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.42 $45.42

$59.5 ฿1,937

-23.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.2 $57.2

$35.07 ฿1,142

63.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 $90.9

$115 ฿3,754

-21.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 $106

$84.1 ฿2,737

25.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,323 $1,323

$619 ฿20.1K

113.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,830 $1,830

$2,062 ฿67.2K

-11.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,002 $2,002

$1,511 ฿49.2K

32.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

5.33

7.13%

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

Last update for Dorado: June 8, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,323 in Dorado and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $82.0 in Dorado vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $386 vs $293 per month, with Phuket 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

Dorado vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,222 in Dorado and $1,892 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,323 in Dorado versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $305 in Dorado versus $703 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $82.0 in Dorado. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,481 in Dorado, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Dorado. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Dorado 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Dorado. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.