Cost of Living Comparison Between Duma and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Duma and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $650 in Duma versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,027 in Duma versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,404 in Duma versus $2,876 in Phuket.

Living in Duma costs roughly 47% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Duma 52% lower, Phuket 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.11 SYP 1,228

$4.41 ฿147

129.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.95 SYP 5,461

$32.26 ฿1,077

39.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.82 SYP 829

$8.93 ฿298

-23.63%

Cappuccino

$3.63 SYP 441

$2.90 ฿96.6

25.17%

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

$2.28 SYP 277

$0.88 ฿29.38

159.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 SYP 103

$0.48 ฿16.06

75.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 SYP 229

$2.35 ฿78.5

-20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 SYP 362

$3.72 ฿124

-19.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 SYP 129

$1.87 ฿62.3

-43.32%

White Bread (500g)

$0.41 SYP 50.2

$1.47 ฿48.94

-72.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 SYP 200

$1.55 ฿51.8

5.81%

Eggs

$1.57 SYP 191

$2.10 ฿70.1

-25.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.98 SYP 483

$19.59 ฿654

-79.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 SYP 684

$3.42 ฿114

64.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.62 SYP 1,655

$11.38 ฿380

19.68%

Apples (1kg)

$1.07 SYP 130

$2.98 ฿99.6

-64.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 SYP 171

$1.68 ฿56.2

-16.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 SYP 139

$2.21 ฿73.7

-47.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 SYP 128

$2.16 ฿72.1

-51.39%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 SYP 95.8

$1.52 ฿50.9

-48.03%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 SYP 96.6

$1.34 ฿44.67

-41.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 SYP 53.4

$1.13 ฿37.67

-61.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 SYP 80.2

$0.55 ฿18.24

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.80 SYP 341

$4.26 ฿142

-34.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.11 SYP 742

$19.09 ฿637

-67.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 SYP 133

$1.78 ฿59.4

-38.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 SYP 344

$2.78 ฿92.9

1.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 SYP 123

$3.03 ฿101

-66.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 SYP 182

$1.02 ฿34.15

46.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.82 SYP 950

$3.89 ฿130

101.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.67 SYP 446

$1.49 ฿49.77

146.31%

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

$15.1K SYP 1.8M

$26.6K ฿887.3K

-43.18%

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

$19.0K SYP 2.3M

$27.0K ฿902.2K

-29.62%

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

$141 SYP 17.1K

$102 ฿3,420

37.56%

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

$9.38 SYP 1,139

$11.33 ฿378

-17.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.81 SYP 5,566

$17.40 ฿581

163.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$5.46 SYP 664

$7.69 ฿257

-29.00%

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

$65.5 SYP 7,959

$561 ฿18.7K

-88.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,790 SYP 217.5K

$11.5K ฿384.1K

-84.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.12 SYP 3,538

$63.0 ฿2,104

-53.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.26 SYP 4,891

$29.52 ฿986

36.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.6 SYP 7,238

$98.0 ฿3,272

-39.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.2 SYP 6,949

$88.5 ฿2,954

-35.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.25

5.57

155.83%

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

Last update for Duma: September 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $45.00 in Duma vs $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $169 vs $274, with Duma cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Duma vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Duma wins on cost – living expenses run 89% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Duma the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $975 in Duma and $1,847 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 62% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $650 per month in Duma versus $1,232 in Phuket – a 89% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $650 in Duma versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Duma but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Duma the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Duma delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $650 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Duma hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Duma and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Duma gentler on the wallet – expenses run 89% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.