Cost of Living Comparison Between Malabo and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Malabo and Phuket

Name: Phuket
Address: Phuket, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $589 per month in Malabo vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,225 per month in Malabo vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,862 per month in Malabo vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

Malabo is about 53% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Malabo and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Malabo 56% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.9 FCFA 40.1K

$46.18 ฿1,553

51.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 FCFA 4,984

$8.84 ฿297

-1.81%

Cappuccino

$5.20 FCFA 2,988

$3.06 ฿103

69.93%

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

$0.90 FCFA 517

$0.73 ฿24.40

23.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 FCFA 521

$0.40 ฿13.39

127.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

Milk (1 liter)

$2.84 FCFA 1,629

$2.26 ฿76.0

25.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

Eggs

$4.11 FCFA 2,360

$2.25 ฿75.5

82.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.80 FCFA 3,905

$19.51 ฿656

-65.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.71 FCFA 3,852

$3.65 ฿123

83.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.49 FCFA 4,301

$13.05 ฿439

-42.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 FCFA 532

$0.98 ฿32.91

-5.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 FCFA 725

$0.52 ฿17.39

142.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.48 FCFA 2,571

$4.44 ฿149

0.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 FCFA 839

$1.86 ฿62.7

-21.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.30 FCFA 748

$1.41 ฿47.46

-7.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.74 FCFA 15.4K

$11.70 ฿393

128.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 FCFA 483

$3.11 ฿105

-72.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 FCFA 460

$1.04 ฿35.06

-23.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.80 FCFA 5,052

$14.11 ฿474

-37.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

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

$33.5K FCFA 19.2M

$27.8K ฿935.4K

20.35%

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

$29.5K FCFA 17.0M

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-11.09%

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

$122 ฿4,118

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

$17.49 FCFA 10.0K

$13.59 ฿457

28.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.52 FCFA 10.1K

$18.70 ฿629

-6.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.61 FCFA 19.9K

$60.5 ฿2,034

-42.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.94 FCFA 8,575

$16.98 ฿571

-12.01%

Cinema Ticket

$5.54 FCFA 3,181

$9.07 ฿305

-38.92%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$357 FCFA 205.0K

$15.8K ฿531.5K

-97.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.55 FCFA 15.2K

$58.6 ฿1,969

-54.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$134 FCFA 76.7K

$35.36 ฿1,189

277.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.8 FCFA 51.6K

$83.7 ฿2,816

7.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$267 FCFA 153.1K

$626 ฿21.0K

-57.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$124 FCFA 70.9K

$445 ฿15.0K

-72.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$958 FCFA 549.8K

$2,040 ฿68.6K

-53.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$520 FCFA 298.7K

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-65.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$846 FCFA 485.5K

$3,483 ฿117.1K

-75.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$645 FCFA 370.1K

$2,577 ฿86.7K

-74.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

5.33

27.58%

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

Last update for Malabo: July 11, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $267 in Malabo versus $626 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 $70.0 in Malabo versus $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $147 in Malabo vs $289 in Phuket – so Malabo wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Malabo vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $589 in Malabo, $1,250 in Phuket – roughly 112% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $883 per month in Malabo and $1,875 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 129% less in Malabo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 96% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Malabo, where all-in costs run around $589, than in Phuket at $1,250. In Malabo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $589 in Malabo to $1,250 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Malabo. 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.