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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $894 per month in Duncans vs $1,247 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,423 per month in Duncans vs $2,276 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,952 per month in Duncans vs $3,306 in Phuket, rent included.

Duncans is about 28% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Duncans and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Duncans 34% lower, Phuket 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.38 JMD 1,168

$4.59 ฿147

60.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.7 JMD 9,765

$46.83 ฿1,500

31.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.53 JMD 1,350

$8.70 ฿279

-1.95%

Cappuccino

$4.38 JMD 693

$2.92 ฿93.7

50.00%

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

$1.36 JMD 215

$0.68 ฿21.90

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 JMD 118

$0.40 ฿12.69

85.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 JMD 391

$2.51 ฿80.3

-1.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 JMD 492

$3.80 ฿122

-18.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.28 JMD 677

$2.16 ฿69.2

98.15%

White Bread (500g)

$3.63 JMD 574

$1.88 ฿60.3

93.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 JMD 244

$2.16 ฿69.1

-28.70%

Eggs

$3.46 JMD 548

$2.22 ฿71.1

55.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.88 JMD 1,721

$19.57 ฿627

-44.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.33 JMD 1,003

$3.80 ฿122

66.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.76 JMD 1,228

$13.41 ฿430

-42.13%

Apples (1kg)

$6.04 JMD 956

$3.26 ฿104

85.28%

Banana (1kg)

$3.09 JMD 488

$1.61 ฿51.6

91.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.18 JMD 662

$2.31 ฿73.9

80.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 JMD 486

$2.06 ฿65.9

49.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 JMD 333

$1.61 ฿51.4

30.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 JMD 320

$1.44 ฿46.23

40.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.11 JMD 492

$1.03 ฿32.99

201.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 JMD 229

$0.48 ฿15.38

200.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.00 JMD 1,424

$4.50 ฿144

100.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.48 JMD 1,817

$19.18 ฿614

-40.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 JMD 459

$1.82 ฿58.4

59.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 JMD 481

$2.69 ฿86.2

13.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.38 ฿44.13

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.76 ฿377

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 JMD 170

$3.11 ฿99.5

-65.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.23 JMD 511

$1.00 ฿32.16

223.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.28 JMD 993

$13.74 ฿440

-54.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 JMD 195

$1.30 ฿41.58

-5.38%

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

$43.1K JMD 6.8M

$27.4K ฿876.5K

57.38%

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

$34.2K JMD 5.4M

$33.0K ฿1.1M

3.52%

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

$163 JMD 25.8K

$125 ฿4,001

30.33%

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

$22.03 JMD 3,487

$13.74 ฿440

60.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.7 JMD 8,016

$18.61 ฿596

172.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 ฿1,940

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.15 ฿549

Cinema Ticket

$13.02 JMD 2,061

$9.01 ฿289

44.51%

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

$229 JMD 36.3K

$698 ฿22.4K

-67.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,435 JMD 385.3K

$16.1K ฿516.2K

-84.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.13 JMD 4,135

$59.2 ฿1,897

-55.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.25 JMD 3,996

$34.86 ฿1,117

-27.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.0 JMD 11.2K

$114 ฿3,659

-37.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.2 JMD 12.1K

$85.8 ฿2,749

-11.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿19.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,075 ฿66.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿48.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,764 ฿120.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,694 ฿86.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$528 ฿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: April 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $0 in Duncans versus $619 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62 in Duncans versus $47 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $351 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 39%, 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 $1,341 per month in Duncans and $1,870 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $894 in Duncans and $1,247 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $229 per month in Duncans and $698 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 $894, than in Phuket at $1,247. 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.