Cost of Living Comparison Between Douala and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Douala and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,382 per month in Douala vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,200 per month in Douala vs $2,054 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,018 per month in Douala vs $2,876 in Phuket, rent included.

Douala costs about 12% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Douala sits 1% above the global median, while Phuket is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.35 FCFA 2,486

$4.41 ฿147

-1.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$123 FCFA 70.1K

$32.26 ฿1,077

280.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.18 FCFA 4,100

$8.93 ฿298

-19.60%

Cappuccino

$2.10 FCFA 1,200

$2.90 ฿96.6

-27.59%

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

$1.72 FCFA 985

$0.88 ฿29.38

95.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 FCFA 461

$0.48 ฿16.06

68.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.26 FCFA 720

$2.35 ฿78.5

-46.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 FCFA 1,496

$3.72 ฿124

-29.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.96 FCFA 1,693

$1.87 ฿62.3

58.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.42 FCFA 239

$1.47 ฿48.94

-71.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.32 FCFA 1,326

$1.55 ฿51.8

49.68%

Eggs

$2.01 FCFA 1,147

$2.10 ฿70.1

-4.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.14 FCFA 13.2K

$19.59 ฿654

18.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.02 FCFA 4,582

$3.42 ฿114

134.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.52 FCFA 3,728

$11.38 ฿380

-42.71%

Apples (1kg)

$4.73 FCFA 2,702

$2.98 ฿99.6

58.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 FCFA 1,238

$1.68 ฿56.2

29.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 FCFA 1,227

$2.21 ฿73.7

-2.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 FCFA 815

$2.16 ฿72.1

-33.80%

Potato (1kg)

$3.28 FCFA 1,877

$1.52 ฿50.9

115.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 FCFA 1,278

$1.34 ฿44.67

67.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 FCFA 413

$1.13 ฿37.67

-36.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 FCFA 371

$0.55 ฿18.24

18.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.67 FCFA 1,527

$4.26 ฿142

-37.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.88 FCFA 5,073

$19.09 ฿637

-53.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 FCFA 870

$1.78 ฿59.4

-14.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 FCFA 1,059

$2.78 ฿92.9

-33.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 FCFA 370

$2.23 ฿74.4

-70.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.44 FCFA 9,968

$22.74 ฿759

-23.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.59 FCFA 338

$3.03 ฿101

-80.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 FCFA 521

$1.02 ฿34.15

-10.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.22 FCFA 4,698

$3.89 ฿130

111.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 FCFA 827

$1.49 ฿49.77

-2.68%

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

$30.4K FCFA 17.3M

$26.6K ฿887.3K

14.20%

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

$16.1K FCFA 9.2M

$27.0K ฿902.2K

-40.37%

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

$165 FCFA 94.0K

$102 ฿3,420

60.61%

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

$26.52 FCFA 15.2K

$11.33 ฿378

134.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$185 FCFA 105.6K

$17.40 ฿581

962.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.26 FCFA 24.1K

$52.1 ฿1,738

-18.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$9.02 FCFA 5,157

$7.69 ฿257

17.30%

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

$539 FCFA 307.9K

$561 ฿18.7K

-3.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,461 FCFA 2.0M

$11.5K ฿384.1K

-69.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.8 FCFA 46.2K

$63.0 ฿2,104

28.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.2 FCFA 39.0K

$29.52 ฿986

131.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$145 FCFA 82.8K

$98.0 ฿3,272

47.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$155 FCFA 88.8K

$88.5 ฿2,954

75.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$566 FCFA 323.6K

$738 ฿24.6K

-23.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$331 FCFA 189.4K

$482 ฿16.1K

-31.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,385 FCFA 791.5K

$2,107 ฿70.3K

-34.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$560 FCFA 320.1K

$1,226 ฿40.9K

-54.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,067 FCFA 1.2M

$3,617 ฿120.7K

-42.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$990 FCFA 565.5K

$2,603 ฿86.9K

-61.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$232 FCFA 132.5K

$494 ฿16.5K

-53.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.04

5.57

241.83%

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

Last update for Douala: September 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $566 in Douala versus $738 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 113% higher in Phuket, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $123 in Douala versus $32.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $287 vs $274 – making Phuket 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

Douala vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Douala is pricier by about 12%, 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 $2,073 per month in Douala 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.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Douala, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $123 in Douala and $32.00 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 Douala at $1,382. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Douala 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, Douala makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.