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 $1,264 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,687 per month in Douala vs $2,256 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,723 per month in Douala vs $3,248 in Phuket, rent included.

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

Douala sits 24% above the global median, while Phuket is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.94 FCFA 5,077

$4.48 ฿150

99.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$126 FCFA 71.4K

$45.59 ฿1,521

175.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.31 FCFA 3,012

$8.76 ฿292

-39.38%

Cappuccino

$1.81 FCFA 1,028

$2.97 ฿99.0

-39.06%

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

$1.72 FCFA 978

$0.69 ฿22.90

149.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 FCFA 474

$0.39 ฿13.04

112.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 FCFA 663

$2.53 ฿84.4

-53.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 FCFA 1,491

$3.75 ฿125

-29.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.84 FCFA 1,615

$2.15 ฿71.6

32.09%

White Bread (500g)

$0.45 FCFA 255

$1.82 ฿60.6

-75.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 FCFA 1,330

$2.18 ฿72.9

7.34%

Eggs

$2.01 FCFA 1,139

$2.25 ฿75.0

-10.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.23 FCFA 13.2K

$20.00 ฿667

16.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.72 FCFA 4,383

$3.63 ฿121

112.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.62 FCFA 3,757

$13.56 ฿452

-51.18%

Apples (1kg)

$4.89 FCFA 2,775

$3.24 ฿108

50.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 FCFA 1,197

$1.64 ฿54.6

28.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.07 FCFA 1,177

$2.33 ฿77.8

-11.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.41 FCFA 801

$2.07 ฿69.1

-31.88%

Potato (1kg)

$3.30 FCFA 1,873

$1.55 ฿51.6

112.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 FCFA 1,291

$1.46 ฿48.54

55.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 FCFA 440

$0.98 ฿32.86

-20.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 FCFA 353

$0.48 ฿16.09

29.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.44 FCFA 1,953

$4.35 ฿145

-20.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.70 FCFA 4,941

$18.57 ฿620

-53.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 FCFA 808

$1.86 ฿61.9

-23.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 FCFA 1,074

$2.65 ฿88.6

-28.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 FCFA 363

$1.42 ฿47.28

-54.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.56 FCFA 9,967

$11.57 ฿386

51.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.55 FCFA 310

$3.17 ฿106

-82.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 FCFA 465

$1.03 ฿34.41

-20.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.51 FCFA 4,832

$13.89 ฿463

-38.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 FCFA 803

$1.34 ฿44.84

5.22%

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

$30.9K FCFA 17.6M

$27.8K ฿927.1K

11.34%

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

$15.7K FCFA 8.9M

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-53.04%

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

$168 FCFA 95.2K

$123 ฿4,105

36.20%

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

$26.17 FCFA 14.9K

$13.77 ฿459

90.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$183 FCFA 104.0K

$18.33 ฿611

899.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.46 FCFA 13.3K

$60.7 ฿2,025

-61.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.46 FCFA 1,966

$17.16 ฿573

-79.84%

Cinema Ticket

$8.65 FCFA 4,911

$8.87 ฿296

-2.48%

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

$541 FCFA 307.2K

$688 ฿22.9K

-21.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,435 FCFA 2.0M

$15.8K ฿526.4K

-78.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.0 FCFA 46.5K

$59.3 ฿1,978

38.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.6 FCFA 39.5K

$34.69 ฿1,157

100.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$145 FCFA 82.1K

$115 ฿3,843

25.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$154 FCFA 87.5K

$83.8 ฿2,794

83.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$900 FCFA 511.2K

$621 ฿20.7K

44.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$594 FCFA 337.2K

$446 ฿14.9K

33.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,908 FCFA 1.1M

$2,034 ฿67.8K

-6.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 FCFA 632.5K

$1,496 ฿49.9K

-25.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,048 FCFA 1.2M

$3,455 ฿115.3K

-40.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$978 FCFA 555.4K

$2,531 ฿84.4K

-61.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$211 FCFA 119.9K

$494 ฿16.5K

-57.22%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $900 in Douala versus $621 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 134% 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 $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $284 in Douala vs $291 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 $1,896 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 2% 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 $46.00 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 $1,264, 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.