Cost of Living Comparison Between Dushanbe and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Dushanbe and Phuket

Name: Phuket
Address: Phuket, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $789 per month in Dushanbe vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,206 per month in Dushanbe vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,624 per month in Dushanbe vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Dushanbe is about 38% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Dushanbe and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Dushanbe 41% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.80 TJS 53.6

$4.70 ฿153

23.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.03 TJS 139

$45.37 ฿1,482

-66.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.70 TJS 80.4

$8.43 ฿275

3.20%

Cappuccino

$2.06 TJS 19.07

$2.93 ฿95.6

-29.69%

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

$0.67 TJS 6.18

$0.69 ฿22.40

-2.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 TJS 2.98

$0.37 ฿11.99

-13.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 TJS 10.70

$2.41 ฿78.6

-51.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 TJS 18.49

$3.72 ฿122

-46.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 TJS 9.08

$2.23 ฿72.9

-56.05%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 TJS 5.29

$1.83 ฿59.8

-68.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 TJS 17.69

$2.17 ฿70.8

-11.98%

Eggs

$1.79 TJS 16.55

$2.21 ฿72.3

-19.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.98 TJS 83.0

$19.74 ฿645

-54.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.58 TJS 42.36

$3.63 ฿119

26.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.09 TJS 84.0

$13.53 ฿442

-32.82%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 TJS 15.44

$3.28 ฿107

-49.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.62 TJS 24.18

$1.61 ฿52.6

62.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 TJS 23.56

$2.41 ฿78.6

5.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.28 TJS 11.83

$2.08 ฿68.1

-38.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 TJS 6.83

$1.53 ฿49.93

-51.63%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 TJS 5.36

$1.48 ฿48.36

-60.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 TJS 7.69

$0.99 ฿32.29

-16.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 TJS 5.84

$0.51 ฿16.67

23.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 TJS 22.71

$4.41 ฿144

-44.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.33 TJS 95.5

$19.38 ฿633

-46.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 TJS 13.84

$1.78 ฿58.1

-15.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 TJS 20.76

$2.71 ฿88.6

-16.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 TJS 2.21

$1.37 ฿44.79

-82.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.06 TJS 93.0

$11.39 ฿372

-11.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 TJS 9.26

$3.02 ฿98.6

-66.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 TJS 2.47

$0.99 ฿32.48

-72.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.09 TJS 56.3

$14.10 ฿461

-56.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 TJS 8.94

$1.36 ฿44.51

-28.68%

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

$18.1K TJS 167.7K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-35.66%

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

$25.8K TJS 238.3K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-21.64%

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

$50.7 TJS 468

$122 ฿3,975

-58.37%

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

$13.45 TJS 124

$13.57 ฿443

-0.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.21 TJS 224

$18.31 ฿598

32.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.00 TJS 370

$60.2 ฿1,967

-33.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.91 TJS 82.4

$17.14 ฿560

-48.02%

Cinema Ticket

$4.89 TJS 45.22

$8.69 ฿284

-43.73%

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

$102 TJS 941

$693 ฿22.6K

-85.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K TJS 132.9K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-8.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.80 TJS 285

$59.5 ฿1,944

-48.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.42 TJS 355

$34.77 ฿1,136

10.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.9 TJS 692

$115 ฿3,743

-34.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.2 TJS 510

$83.3 ฿2,720

-33.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 TJS 4,056

$613 ฿20.0K

-28.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$230 TJS 2,129

$437 ฿14.3K

-47.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 TJS 6,778

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-64.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$419 TJS 3,873

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-72.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,257 TJS 11.6K

$3,749 ฿122.5K

-66.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$711 TJS 6,570

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-72.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$478 TJS 4,417

$508 ฿16.6K

-5.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

25.75

5.33

383.11%

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

Last update for Dushanbe: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $439 in Dushanbe versus $613 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 6% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $15.00 in Dushanbe versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $195 vs $293 – making Dushanbe 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

Dushanbe vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 60%, 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 $1,183 per month in Dushanbe and $1,898 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dushanbe, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $102 per month in Dushanbe and $693 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 50% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Dushanbe, where all-in costs run around $789, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Dushanbe it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Dushanbe – 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 Dushanbe. 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.