😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,757 in Dumfries versus $1,232 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,755 in Dumfries versus $2,054 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,754 in Dumfries versus $2,876 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Dumfries is roughly 43% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Dumfries is 28% above, Phuket is 10% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Dumfries
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.66£10.95
$4.41฿147
232.43%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$81.4£60.8
$32.26฿1,077
152.23%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.90£5.90
$8.93฿298
-11.53%
Cappuccino
$4.51£3.37
$2.90฿96.6
55.52%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.60£1.94
$0.88฿29.38
195.45%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35£1.01
$0.48฿16.06
181.25%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.68£4.24
$2.35฿78.5
141.70%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.93£4.43
$3.72฿124
59.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Dumfries
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.59£1.19
$1.87฿62.3
-14.97%
White Bread(500g)
$1.78£1.33
$1.47฿48.94
21.09%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.76£2.06
$1.55฿51.8
78.06%
Eggs
$4.45£3.32
$2.10฿70.1
111.90%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.89£5.90
$19.59฿654
-59.72%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.51£7.11
$3.42฿114
178.07%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.36£11.48
$11.38฿380
34.97%
Apples(1kg)
$2.45£1.83
$2.98฿99.6
-17.79%
Banana(1kg)
$2.25£1.68
$1.68฿56.2
33.93%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.35£1.76
$2.21฿73.7
6.33%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.91£2.17
$2.16฿72.1
34.72%
Potato(1kg)
$3.12£2.33
$1.52฿50.9
105.26%
Onion(1kg)
$2.14£1.60
$1.34฿44.67
59.70%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.68£1.25
$1.13฿37.67
48.67%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.08£1.55
$0.55฿18.24
278.18%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$24.13£18.03
$4.26฿142
466.43%
Wine(Bottle)
$12.03£8.99
$19.09฿637
-36.98%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.29£2.46
$1.78฿59.4
84.83%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.22£2.41
$2.78฿92.9
15.83%
🚌 Getting Around
Dumfries
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$4.23£3.16
$2.23฿74.4
89.69%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$93.4£69.8
$22.74฿759
310.73%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.73£3.53
$3.03฿101
56.11%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.96£0.72
$1.02฿34.15
-5.88%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$12.10£9.05
$3.89฿130
211.05%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.96£1.46
$1.49฿49.77
31.54%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.6K£29.6K
$26.6K฿887.3K
48.88%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$41.6K£31.1K
$27.0K฿902.2K
53.79%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dumfries
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$247£184
$102฿3,420
140.73%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.31£17.42
$11.33฿378
105.74%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$43.23£32.31
$17.40฿581
148.45%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Dumfries
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.7£38.63
$52.1฿1,738
-0.75%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.44£20.51
$11.07฿370
147.88%
Cinema Ticket
$13.70£10.24
$7.69฿257
78.15%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Dumfries
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,952£1,458
$561฿18.7K
248.10%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$22.5K£16.8K
$11.5K฿384.1K
95.53%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Dumfries
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$82.0£61.3
$63.0฿2,104
30.08%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.2£40.52
$29.52฿986
83.71%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$127£95.1
$98.0฿3,272
29.80%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$91.1£68.1
$88.5฿2,954
2.89%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Dumfries
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$622£465
$738฿24.6K
-15.80%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$545£407
$482฿16.1K
12.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,027£767
$2,107฿70.3K
-51.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$971£726
$1,226฿40.9K
-20.79%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$5,094£3,807
$3,617฿120.7K
40.83%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$4,011£2,998
$2,603฿86.9K
54.10%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Dumfries
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,610£2,698
$494฿16.5K
631.35%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.41
5.57
-2.87%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Dumfries: September 14, 2026
Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $622 in Dumfries and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Dumfries pays 631% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $81.0 in Dumfries vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $322 vs $274 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.
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
Dumfries vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Dumfries?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 43% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Dumfries or Phuket?
Average pay runs 631% higher in Dumfries, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Dumfries and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $622 in Dumfries versus $738 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in Dumfries or in Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $81.0 in Dumfries. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
What are total monthly expenses in Dumfries and in Phuket?
All in, you'll spend $1,757 per month in Dumfries versus $1,232 in Phuket – a 43% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Dumfries or in Phuket?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,757 in Dumfries, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Dumfries. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Dumfries or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Dumfries, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Dumfries or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Dumfries 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Dumfries. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.