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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,650 per month in Douala vs $1,261 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,654 per month in Douala vs $2,286 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,658 per month in Douala vs $3,310 in Phuket, rent included.

Douala costs about 31% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Douala sits 23% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.77 FCFA 4,954

$4.56 ฿149

92.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$125 FCFA 70.8K

$46.63 ฿1,519

168.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.34 FCFA 3,016

$8.47 ฿276

-36.95%

Cappuccino

$1.82 FCFA 1,030

$3.03 ฿98.6

-39.93%

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

$1.64 FCFA 927

$0.69 ฿22.45

137.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 FCFA 448

$0.37 ฿11.92

113.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.13 FCFA 637

$2.49 ฿81.0

-54.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 FCFA 1,456

$3.66 ฿119

-29.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.81 FCFA 1,589

$2.18 ฿71.0

28.90%

White Bread (500g)

$0.45 FCFA 251

$1.90 ฿62.0

-76.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 FCFA 1,307

$2.20 ฿71.6

5.00%

Eggs

$2.02 FCFA 1,139

$2.22 ฿72.4

-9.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.79 FCFA 12.9K

$19.99 ฿651

14.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.72 FCFA 4,362

$3.66 ฿119

110.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.63 FCFA 3,744

$13.25 ฿432

-49.96%

Apples (1kg)

$4.86 FCFA 2,742

$3.23 ฿105

50.46%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 FCFA 1,183

$1.70 ฿55.3

22.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.16 FCFA 1,217

$2.39 ฿78.0

-9.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 FCFA 767

$2.08 ฿67.7

-34.62%

Potato (1kg)

$3.33 FCFA 1,879

$1.59 ฿51.8

109.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 FCFA 1,227

$1.48 ฿48.31

46.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 FCFA 447

$1.03 ฿33.54

-23.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 FCFA 352

$0.52 ฿16.83

19.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.47 FCFA 1,958

$4.25 ฿138

-18.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.57 FCFA 4,840

$18.79 ฿612

-54.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 FCFA 800

$1.76 ฿57.2

-19.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 FCFA 1,099

$2.76 ฿89.8

-29.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 FCFA 385

$1.36 ฿44.32

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.61 FCFA 9,946

$11.36 ฿370

55.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 FCFA 314

$3.14 ฿102

-82.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 FCFA 425

$1.04 ฿33.74

-27.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.46 FCFA 4,780

$13.77 ฿448

-38.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 FCFA 814

$1.34 ฿43.79

7.46%

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

$30.3K FCFA 17.1M

$27.7K ฿901.4K

9.59%

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

$16.0K FCFA 9.0M

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-52.79%

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

$167 FCFA 94.1K

$124 ฿4,025

34.74%

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

$26.57 FCFA 15.0K

$13.52 ฿440

96.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$185 FCFA 104.6K

$18.69 ฿609

891.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.91 FCFA 13.5K

$61.8 ฿2,013

-61.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.63 FCFA 2,051

$17.25 ฿562

-78.96%

Cinema Ticket

$8.71 FCFA 4,921

$9.14 ฿298

-4.70%

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

$534 FCFA 301.4K

$703 ฿22.9K

-24.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,478 FCFA 2.0M

$15.9K ฿517.0K

-78.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.3 FCFA 45.9K

$59.5 ฿1,937

36.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.9 FCFA 38.9K

$35.07 ฿1,142

96.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$143 FCFA 80.5K

$115 ฿3,754

23.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$155 FCFA 87.7K

$84.1 ฿2,737

84.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$927 FCFA 523.8K

$619 ฿20.1K

49.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$592 FCFA 334.5K

$433 ฿14.1K

36.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,895 FCFA 1.1M

$2,062 ฿67.2K

-8.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,132 FCFA 639.5K

$1,511 ฿49.2K

-25.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,065 FCFA 1.2M

$3,646 ฿118.7K

-43.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$988 FCFA 557.9K

$2,626 ฿85.5K

-62.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$162 FCFA 91.5K

$507 ฿16.5K

-68.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.21

5.33

260.41%

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

Last update for Douala: June 8, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $927 in Douala versus $619 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 213% 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 $125 in Douala versus $47.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $282 in Douala vs $293 in Phuket – so Douala wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 31%, 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 $2,476 per month in Douala and $1,892 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Douala – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $125 in Douala and $47.00 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 $1,261, than in Douala at $1,650. 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.