Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Maiduguri and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Maiduguri: $170 a month against $1,208 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $12,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index

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Maiduguri

🇳🇬 Nigeria

$170

/mo nomad

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,208

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Maiduguri and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Maiduguri and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $170 in Maiduguri versus $1,208 in Phuket.

Maiduguri $170
Phuket $1,208

Estimated couple costs with rent: $284 in Maiduguri versus $2,027 in Phuket.

Maiduguri $284
Phuket $2,027

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $398 in Maiduguri versus $2,845 in Phuket.

Maiduguri $398
Phuket $2,845

Living in Maiduguri costs roughly 86% less than in Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Maiduguri 87% lower, Phuket 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$0.51 ₦673

$4.40 ฿147

-88.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,078

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$1.83 ₦2,433

$8.76 ฿293

-79.11%

Cappuccino

$0.89 ₦1,178

$2.83 ฿94.5

-68.55%

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

$0.27 ₦361

$0.90 ฿30.14

-70.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 ₦249

$0.47 ฿15.56

-59.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.55 ฿85.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 ฿128

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.7

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 ₦1,368

$1.47 ฿49.11

-29.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 ₦2,598

$1.51 ฿50.6

29.14%

Eggs

$1.75 ₦2,326

$2.17 ฿72.7

-19.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.70 ฿658

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.90 ₦6,515

$3.34 ฿112

46.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.04 ₦5,375

$11.16 ฿373

-63.80%

Apples (1kg)

$4.08 ₦5,430

$2.85 ฿95.1

43.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿56.9

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 ฿73.3

Tomato (1kg)

$0.97 ₦1,291

$2.05 ฿68.4

-52.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 ₦1,973

$1.45 ฿48.57

2.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 ₦1,349

$1.38 ฿46.16

-26.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 ₦514

$1.07 ฿35.69

-63.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₦417

$0.51 ฿16.91

-39.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

Wine (Bottle)

$18.58 ฿621

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿95.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₦485

$2.26 ฿75.6

-84.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.10 ฿738

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 ฿101

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 ฿35.34

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.86 ฿129

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.25 ₦331

$1.45 ฿48.45

-82.76%

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

$26.3K ฿879.9K

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

$26.9K ฿900.4K

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

$96.4 ฿3,221

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

$7.92 ₦10.5K

$11.04 ฿369

-28.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.14 ฿573

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 ฿1,744

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.89 ₦10.5K

$11.16 ฿373

-29.30%

Cinema Ticket

$7.81 ฿261

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

$556 ฿18.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿387.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.38 ₦27.1K

$64.2 ฿2,146

-68.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.88 ₦23.8K

$28.69 ฿959

-37.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$25.37 ₦33.7K

$95.4 ฿3,187

-73.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$24.82 ₦33.0K

$88.0 ฿2,940

-71.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 ฿24.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ฿15.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,095 ฿70.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,201 ฿40.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,488 ฿116.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,523 ฿84.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$501 ฿16.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Maiduguri: October 20, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Maiduguri

–

Phuket

$462 38.3%

Groceries & Markets

Maiduguri

–

Phuket

$269 22.2%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Maiduguri

–

Phuket

$125 10.3%

Clothing & Footwear

Maiduguri

–

Phuket

$124 10.3%

Eating Out

Maiduguri

–

Phuket

$121 10%

Sport & Entertainment

Maiduguri

–

Phuket

$68 5.6%

Getting Around

Maiduguri

–

Phuket

$39 3.3%

Good to know

🇳🇬 Maiduguri

🇹🇭 Phuket

🕒 Local time

11:49 11:49 AM

17:49 5:49 PM

6 h ahead of Maiduguri

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,197,497

79,308

💱 Currency

Nigerian Naira NGN ₦

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 NGN = 7.52 USD

10,000 NGN = 6.69 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to NGN – Nigerian Naira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇳🇬 Nigerian Naira (₦)

Nigerian Naira exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1,330 NGN (10,000 NGN = 7.52 USD). 1 EUR = 1,495 NGN (10,000 NGN = 6.69 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to NGN in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Maiduguri Phuket 9,310 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Maiduguri
Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Maiduguri vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Maiduguri is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 611% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $255 in Maiduguri and $1,813 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 172% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $170 per month in Maiduguri versus $1,208 in Phuket – a 611% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $170 in Maiduguri versus $1,208 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Maiduguri but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Maiduguri the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Maiduguri is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Maiduguri 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 Maiduguri gentler on the wallet – expenses run 611% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.