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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,636 per month in Douala vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,621 per month in Douala vs $2,255 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,606 per month in Douala vs $3,279 in Phuket, rent included.

Douala costs about 33% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Douala sits 22% above the global median, while Phuket is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.02 FCFA 5,062

$4.63 ฿151

94.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$126 FCFA 70.4K

$46.84 ฿1,532

168.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.15 FCFA 2,890

$8.84 ฿289

-41.74%

Cappuccino

$1.89 FCFA 1,062

$3.00 ฿98.0

-37.00%

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

$1.68 FCFA 941

$0.74 ฿24.25

127.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 FCFA 467

$0.37 ฿11.95

124.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.18 FCFA 660

$2.44 ฿79.8

-51.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 FCFA 1,492

$3.61 ฿118

-26.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.90 FCFA 1,627

$2.26 ฿73.9

28.32%

White Bread (500g)

$0.45 FCFA 250

$1.84 ฿60.1

-75.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 FCFA 1,258

$2.24 ฿73.4

Eggs

$1.91 FCFA 1,069

$2.32 ฿75.7

-17.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.75 FCFA 12.8K

$19.67 ฿643

15.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.72 FCFA 4,329

$3.65 ฿119

111.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.58 FCFA 3,690

$13.10 ฿428

-49.77%

Apples (1kg)

$4.94 FCFA 2,773

$3.39 ฿111

45.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 FCFA 1,177

$1.64 ฿53.7

28.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 FCFA 1,171

$2.41 ฿79.0

-13.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 FCFA 762

$2.03 ฿66.4

-33.00%

Potato (1kg)

$3.38 FCFA 1,897

$1.56 ฿50.9

116.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 FCFA 1,256

$1.50 ฿48.94

49.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 FCFA 408

$1.02 ฿33.50

-28.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 FCFA 375

$0.49 ฿16.00

36.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.59 FCFA 2,011

$4.45 ฿145

-19.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.32 FCFA 4,669

$18.88 ฿617

-55.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 FCFA 758

$1.78 ฿58.1

-24.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 FCFA 1,092

$2.75 ฿90.1

-29.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 FCFA 362

$1.40 ฿45.81

-53.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.48 FCFA 9,807

$11.48 ฿376

52.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.55 FCFA 306

$3.12 ฿102

-82.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 FCFA 426

$1.00 ฿32.67

-24.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.19 FCFA 4,592

$14.09 ฿461

-41.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 FCFA 768

$1.35 ฿44.19

1.48%

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

$31.0K FCFA 17.4M

$27.2K ฿888.9K

14.22%

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

$16.0K FCFA 9.0M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-51.32%

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

$170 FCFA 95.2K

$125 ฿4,087

35.77%

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

$25.96 FCFA 14.6K

$13.57 ฿444

91.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$182 FCFA 101.9K

$18.52 ฿606

880.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.43 FCFA 13.1K

$61.5 ฿2,010

-61.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.47 FCFA 1,948

$16.84 ฿551

-79.39%

Cinema Ticket

$8.60 FCFA 4,822

$9.19 ฿300

-6.42%

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

$530 FCFA 297.3K

$698 ฿22.8K

-24.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,540 FCFA 2.0M

$15.6K ฿509.9K

-77.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.1 FCFA 45.5K

$57.8 ฿1,889

40.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.3 FCFA 39.4K

$35.24 ฿1,152

99.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$142 FCFA 79.4K

$113 ฿3,699

25.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 FCFA 86.0K

$86.4 ฿2,825

77.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$915 FCFA 513.0K

$616 ฿20.1K

48.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$585 FCFA 328.3K

$446 ฿14.6K

31.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,889 FCFA 1.1M

$2,048 ฿67.0K

-7.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,129 FCFA 633.3K

$1,492 ฿48.8K

-24.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,108 FCFA 1.2M

$3,779 ฿123.6K

-44.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,005 FCFA 563.8K

$2,649 ฿86.6K

-62.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 FCFA 91.6K

$524 ฿17.1K

-68.81%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $915 in Douala versus $616 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 221% 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 $126 in Douala versus $47.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $282 in Douala vs $292 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 33%, 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 $2,454 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.

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 $126 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 $1,232, than in Douala at $1,636. 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.