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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,178 per month in Douliu vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,970 per month in Douliu vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,762 per month in Douliu vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Douliu is about 7% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Douliu and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Douliu 12% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.06 NT$128

$4.70 ฿153

-13.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.60 NT$743

$45.37 ฿1,482

-47.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.80 NT$183

$8.43 ฿275

-31.20%

Cappuccino

$3.76 NT$118

$2.93 ฿95.6

28.33%

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

$1.18 NT$37.06

$0.69 ฿22.40

71.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 NT$22.87

$0.37 ฿11.99

97.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.42 NT$108

$2.41 ฿78.6

41.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 NT$108

$3.72 ฿122

-8.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.15 NT$99.2

$2.23 ฿72.9

41.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 NT$62.3

$1.83 ฿59.8

8.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.03 NT$95.5

$2.17 ฿70.8

39.63%

Eggs

$2.95 NT$92.7

$2.21 ฿72.3

33.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.24 NT$637

$19.74 ฿645

2.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.96 NT$313

$3.63 ฿119

174.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.40 NT$642

$13.53 ฿442

50.78%

Apples (1kg)

$5.25 NT$165

$3.28 ฿107

60.06%

Banana (1kg)

$2.84 NT$89.5

$1.61 ฿52.6

76.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.85 NT$89.6

$2.41 ฿78.6

18.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.16 NT$131

$2.08 ฿68.1

100.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.80 NT$88.0

$1.53 ฿49.93

83.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 NT$70.5

$1.48 ฿48.36

51.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 NT$59.3

$0.99 ฿32.29

89.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 NT$43.17

$0.51 ฿16.67

168.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 NT$127

$4.41 ฿144

-8.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.52 NT$457

$19.38 ฿633

-25.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 NT$57.3

$1.78 ฿58.1

2.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 NT$75.4

$2.71 ฿88.6

-11.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 NT$27.78

$1.37 ฿44.79

-35.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.46 NT$1,242

$11.39 ฿372

246.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.84 NT$89.5

$3.02 ฿98.6

-5.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 NT$24.63

$0.99 ฿32.48

-21.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.03 NT$316

$14.10 ฿461

-28.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 NT$33.70

$1.36 ฿44.51

-21.32%

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

$37.7K NT$1.2M

$28.2K ฿921.1K

33.50%

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

$27.2K NT$855.4K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-17.41%

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

$85.6 NT$2,695

$122 ฿3,975

-29.66%

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

$18.60 NT$585

$13.57 ฿443

37.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.43 NT$800

$18.31 ฿598

38.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.14 NT$1,169

$60.2 ฿1,967

-38.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.22 NT$479

$17.14 ฿560

-11.20%

Cinema Ticket

$12.05 NT$379

$8.69 ฿284

38.67%

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

$645 NT$20.3K

$693 ฿22.6K

-7.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K NT$590.5K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

19.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 NT$1,848

$59.5 ฿1,944

-1.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.78 NT$1,032

$34.77 ฿1,136

-5.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 NT$2,919

$115 ฿3,743

-19.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 NT$3,912

$83.3 ฿2,720

49.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$431 NT$13.6K

$613 ฿20.0K

-29.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 NT$9,054

$437 ฿14.3K

-34.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 NT$33.1K

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-49.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$713 NT$22.4K

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-52.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,501 NT$236.1K

$3,749 ฿122.5K

100.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,325 NT$167.6K

$2,616 ฿85.4K

103.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,632 NT$82.9K

$508 ฿16.6K

418.05%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $431 in Douliu versus $613 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 418% 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 $24.00 in Douliu versus $45.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $402 in Douliu vs $293 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 7% 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 $1,767 per month in Douliu and $1,898 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 $24.00 in Douliu and $45.00 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 $1,178 in Douliu and $1,265 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 $1,178, than in Phuket at $1,265. 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 $1,178 versus $1,265 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.