Cost of Living Comparison Between Douliu and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Douliu and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,193 per month in Douliu vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,979 per month in Douliu vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,766 per month in Douliu vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

Douliu is about 5% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Douliu and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Douliu 11% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.96 NT$128

$4.55 ฿153

-12.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.27 NT$752

$46.18 ฿1,554

-49.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.68 NT$184

$8.84 ฿298

-35.75%

Cappuccino

$3.93 NT$127

$3.06 ฿103

28.43%

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

$1.13 NT$36.41

$0.73 ฿24.42

54.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 NT$24.22

$0.40 ฿13.40

87.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.37 NT$109

$2.43 ฿81.8

38.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 NT$107

$3.78 ฿127

-12.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.11 NT$101

$2.26 ฿76.0

37.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 NT$60.8

$1.81 ฿60.9

3.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.04 NT$98.3

$2.25 ฿75.8

35.11%

Eggs

$2.83 NT$91.3

$2.25 ฿75.6

25.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.91 NT$643

$19.51 ฿656

2.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.15 NT$328

$3.65 ฿123

178.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.37 NT$658

$13.05 ฿439

56.09%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 NT$168

$3.23 ฿109

60.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.99 NT$96.7

$1.62 ฿54.4

84.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.81 NT$90.7

$2.38 ฿80.2

18.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.26 NT$138

$2.03 ฿68.2

109.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.93 NT$94.7

$1.53 ฿51.6

91.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 NT$73.7

$1.50 ฿50.5

52.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 NT$64.2

$0.98 ฿32.93

103.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 NT$42.67

$0.52 ฿17.40

153.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 NT$132

$4.44 ฿149

-7.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.87 NT$448

$18.32 ฿616

-24.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 NT$56.0

$1.86 ฿62.7

-6.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 NT$77.4

$2.68 ฿90.2

-10.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 NT$27.12

$1.41 ฿47.49

-40.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.03 NT$1,261

$11.70 ฿394

233.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.90 NT$93.6

$3.11 ฿105

-6.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 NT$25.46

$1.04 ฿35.08

-24.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.08 NT$326

$14.11 ฿475

-28.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 NT$33.56

$1.31 ฿44.13

-20.61%

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

$38.1K NT$1.2M

$27.8K ฿936.0K

37.05%

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

$28.1K NT$907.5K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-15.45%

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

$84.5 NT$2,730

$122 ฿4,120

-30.99%

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

$18.83 NT$608

$13.59 ฿457

38.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.75 NT$800

$18.70 ฿629

32.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.63 NT$1,184

$60.5 ฿2,035

-39.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.17 NT$490

$16.98 ฿572

-10.66%

Cinema Ticket

$11.96 NT$386

$9.07 ฿305

31.86%

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

$643 NT$20.8K

$706 ฿23.8K

-9.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K NT$608.4K

$15.8K ฿531.8K

19.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.0 NT$1,908

$58.6 ฿1,970

0.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.23 NT$1,074

$35.36 ฿1,190

-6.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 NT$3,023

$115 ฿3,885

-18.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 NT$3,883

$83.7 ฿2,818

43.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$429 NT$13.8K

$626 ฿21.1K

-31.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$292 NT$9,447

$445 ฿15.0K

-34.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,050 NT$33.9K

$2,040 ฿68.7K

-48.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$737 NT$23.8K

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-50.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,223 NT$233.4K

$3,483 ฿117.2K

107.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,904 NT$158.5K

$2,577 ฿86.7K

90.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,578 NT$83.3K

$500 ฿16.8K

415.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.19

5.33

-58.91%

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

Last update for Douliu: July 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $429 in Douliu versus $626 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 416% higher in Douliu, 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 $23.00 in Douliu versus $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $400 in Douliu vs $289 in Phuket – so Phuket 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

Douliu vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 5% more than Douliu, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,789 per month in Douliu and $1,875 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Douliu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Douliu and $46.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,193 in Douliu and $1,250 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Douliu, where all-in costs run around $1,193, than in Phuket at $1,250. In Douliu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Douliu costs $1,193 versus $1,250 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Douliu. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.