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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,130 per month in Douliu vs $1,253 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,853 per month in Douliu vs $2,043 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,576 per month in Douliu vs $2,833 in Phuket, rent included.

Douliu is about 10% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Douliu and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Douliu 18% lower, Phuket 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.68 NT$117

$4.56 ฿151

-19.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.43 NT$712

$32.62 ฿1,082

-31.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 NT$181

$8.90 ฿295

-36.07%

Cappuccino

$3.45 NT$109

$2.80 ฿93.0

23.21%

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

$0.91 NT$28.72

$0.88 ฿29.19

3.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 NT$18.83

$0.49 ฿16.23

20.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.81 NT$89.1

$2.39 ฿79.2

17.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 NT$118

$3.71 ฿123

0.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.07 NT$97.5

$1.79 ฿59.3

71.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.87 NT$59.4

$1.44 ฿47.81

29.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.29 NT$104

$1.58 ฿52.6

108.23%

Eggs

$2.64 NT$83.7

$2.13 ฿70.5

23.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.83 NT$597

$19.92 ฿661

-5.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.94 NT$315

$3.43 ฿114

189.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.68 NT$688

$11.33 ฿376

91.35%

Apples (1kg)

$5.02 NT$159

$2.95 ฿97.8

70.17%

Banana (1kg)

$3.34 NT$106

$1.72 ฿57.1

94.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 NT$95.1

$2.32 ฿77.1

29.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.33 NT$137

$2.08 ฿69.0

108.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.83 NT$89.6

$1.47 ฿48.77

92.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 NT$75.0

$1.36 ฿45.05

73.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.73 NT$54.9

$1.10 ฿36.45

57.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 NT$36.37

$0.57 ฿19.06

101.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.87 NT$123

$4.27 ฿142

-9.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.02 NT$445

$18.42 ฿611

-23.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 NT$51.1

$1.87 ฿62.1

-13.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 NT$69.9

$2.92 ฿96.9

-24.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 NT$20.47

$2.22 ฿73.6

-70.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.67 NT$1,163

$22.90 ฿759

60.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.75 NT$87.1

$3.03 ฿101

-9.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 NT$24.61

$1.07 ฿35.63

-27.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.62 NT$305

$3.93 ฿130

144.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 NT$31.95

$1.49 ฿49.49

-32.21%

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

$33.0K NT$1.0M

$27.1K ฿899.8K

21.70%

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

$24.0K NT$760.8K

$27.5K ฿910.6K

-12.64%

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

$82.3 NT$2,610

$103 ฿3,410

-19.97%

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

$17.78 NT$564

$10.99 ฿365

61.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.62 NT$876

$17.51 ฿581

57.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.21 NT$1,149

$53.5 ฿1,776

-32.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿371

Cinema Ticket

$9.47 NT$301

$7.48 ฿248

26.60%

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

$616 NT$19.6K

$557 ฿18.5K

10.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.9K NT$535.7K

$11.9K ฿393.2K

42.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 NT$1,801

$64.1 ฿2,125

-11.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.64 NT$1,289

$29.07 ฿964

39.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.5 NT$2,616

$96.0 ฿3,183

-14.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 NT$3,203

$90.3 ฿2,997

11.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$395 NT$12.5K

$730 ฿24.2K

-45.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$250 NT$7,946

$500 ฿16.6K

-49.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$960 NT$30.5K

$2,090 ฿69.3K

-54.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$729 NT$23.1K

$1,209 ฿40.1K

-39.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,200 NT$228.4K

$3,596 ฿119.3K

100.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,928 NT$156.3K

$2,512 ฿83.3K

96.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,526 NT$80.1K

$503 ฿16.7K

401.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.35

5.57

-57.81%

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

Last update for Douliu: August 30, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $395 in Douliu versus $730 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 402% 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 $22.00 in Douliu versus $33.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $398 in Douliu vs $273 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 11% 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 $1,695 per month in Douliu and $1,880 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 $22.00 in Douliu and $33.00 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 $1,130 in Douliu and $1,253 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 $1,130, than in Phuket at $1,253. 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 $1,130 versus $1,253 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.