Cost of Living Comparison Between Duncans and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Duncans and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $900 per month in Duncans vs $1,261 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,459 per month in Duncans vs $2,276 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,018 per month in Duncans vs $3,291 in Phuket, rent included.

Duncans is about 29% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Duncans and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Duncans 33% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.42 JMD 1,168

$4.53 ฿152

63.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.4 JMD 9,821

$46.36 ฿1,558

34.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.78 JMD 1,383

$8.65 ฿291

1.50%

Cappuccino

$4.30 JMD 678

$3.09 ฿104

39.16%

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

$1.30 JMD 205

$0.68 ฿22.79

91.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 JMD 111

$0.37 ฿12.38

89.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 JMD 403

$2.42 ฿81.2

5.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 JMD 486

$3.81 ฿128

-18.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.19 JMD 659

$2.18 ฿73.2

92.20%

White Bread (500g)

$3.59 JMD 566

$1.82 ฿61.1

97.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 JMD 256

$2.18 ฿73.2

-25.69%

Eggs

$3.43 JMD 540

$2.24 ฿75.1

53.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.25 JMD 1,772

$19.93 ฿670

-43.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.32 JMD 996

$3.64 ฿122

73.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.56 JMD 1,190

$13.56 ฿456

-44.25%

Apples (1kg)

$5.88 JMD 926

$3.29 ฿111

78.72%

Banana (1kg)

$3.09 JMD 486

$1.69 ฿56.6

82.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.18 JMD 659

$2.33 ฿78.4

79.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.06 JMD 481

$2.03 ฿68.1

50.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 JMD 332

$1.60 ฿53.8

31.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 JMD 319

$1.49 ฿50.2

36.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.13 JMD 492

$1.01 ฿34.02

209.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 JMD 237

$0.48 ฿16.02

214.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.53 JMD 1,344

$4.45 ฿150

91.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.47 JMD 1,806

$18.63 ฿626

-38.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 JMD 433

$1.79 ฿60.0

53.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 JMD 490

$2.80 ฿94.0

11.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.69

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.33 ฿381

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 JMD 169

$3.09 ฿104

-65.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.22 JMD 507

$1.04 ฿35.03

209.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.43 JMD 1,013

$13.63 ฿458

-52.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 JMD 193

$1.31 ฿44.03

-6.11%

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

$43.3K JMD 6.8M

$27.3K ฿916.6K

58.64%

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

$33.3K JMD 5.2M

$33.2K ฿1.1M

0.34%

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

$161 JMD 25.3K

$123 ฿4,138

30.70%

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

$21.75 JMD 3,425

$13.81 ฿464

57.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.3 JMD 8,082

$18.52 ฿622

177.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 ฿2,028

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ฿564

Cinema Ticket

$13.28 JMD 2,092

$8.89 ฿299

49.38%

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

$222 JMD 35.0K

$687 ฿23.1K

-67.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,499 JMD 393.6K

$15.6K ฿522.5K

-83.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.79 JMD 4,062

$57.6 ฿1,936

-55.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.46 JMD 4,010

$34.66 ฿1,165

-26.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.5 JMD 11.1K

$115 ฿3,861

-38.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.4 JMD 12.2K

$84.9 ฿2,853

-8.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$618 ฿20.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 ฿14.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,047 ฿68.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,506 ฿50.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,568 ฿119.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,511 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

5.33

71.67%

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

Last update for Duncans: July 19, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62.0 in Duncans versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $350 vs $292 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Duncans vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 40%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,349 per month in Duncans and $1,891 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $900 in Duncans and $1,261 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $222 per month in Duncans and $687 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Duncans, where all-in costs run around $900, than in Phuket at $1,261. In Duncans it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Duncans – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Duncans. 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.