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: $1,290 in Dorado versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,025 in Dorado versus $2,089 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,759 in Dorado versus $2,913 in Phuket.

Living in Dorado is roughly 2% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dorado 6% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.54 $18.54

$4.66 ฿154

297.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.7 $84.7

$32.22 ฿1,065

162.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.18 $9.18

$8.68 ฿287

5.76%

Cappuccino

$3.59 $3.59

$2.90 ฿95.8

23.79%

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

$1.87 $1.87

$0.84 ฿27.89

122.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 $1.50

$0.49 ฿16.16

206.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.48 ฿82.0

18.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.14 $5.14

$3.73 ฿123

37.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.89 ฿62.3

18.52%

White Bread (500g)

$3.73 $3.73

$1.41 ฿46.54

164.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.62 ฿53.6

45.06%

Eggs

$6.79 $6.79

$2.24 ฿74.1

203.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.65 $12.65

$19.84 ฿656

-36.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.66 $9.66

$3.48 ฿115

177.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.36 $13.36

$11.37 ฿376

17.50%

Apples (1kg)

$4.93 $4.93

$2.90 ฿95.8

70.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.53 $2.53

$1.72 ฿57.0

47.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.81 $4.81

$2.27 ฿75.1

111.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.86 $4.86

$2.13 ฿70.4

128.17%

Potato (1kg)

$3.81 $3.81

$1.47 ฿48.72

159.18%

Onion (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$1.42 ฿46.92

185.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.40 $3.40

$1.10 ฿36.25

209.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 $1.60

$0.60 ฿19.76

166.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.10 $12.10

$4.31 ฿142

180.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 $15.41

$18.60 ฿615

-17.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.12 $3.12

$1.80 ฿59.5

73.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 $4.03

$2.97 ฿98.0

35.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.45 $2.45

$3.10 ฿102

-20.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.08 ฿35.56

36.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.31 $41.31

$3.87 ฿128

967.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.43 ฿47.16

-24.48%

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

$40.4K $40.4K

$27.8K ฿918.0K

45.44%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

$27.0K ฿891.5K

2.00%

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

$318 $318

$105 ฿3,462

203.47%

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

$28.22 $28.22

$11.39 ฿376

147.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.4 $69.4

$17.54 ฿580

295.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$10.46 $10.46

$7.78 ฿257

34.45%

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

$828 $828

$576 ฿19.0K

43.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,629 $6,629

$11.6K ฿382.7K

-42.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.3 $55.3

$63.6 ฿2,103

-13.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.6 $61.6

$29.10 ฿961

111.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 $107

$96.2 ฿3,179

10.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 $113

$90.0 ฿2,974

25.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

5.57

17.59%

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

Last update for Dorado: September 7, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $85.0 in Dorado vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $413 vs $275 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 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,936 in Dorado and $1,898 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.

Childcare runs $828 in Dorado versus $576 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 $32.00 versus $85.0 in Dorado. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,290 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 2% less than in Dorado. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.