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 $605 per month in Malabo vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,254 per month in Malabo vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,903 per month in Malabo vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Malabo is about 52% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Malabo and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Malabo 55% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.3 FCFA 39.1K

$45.37 ฿1,482

52.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.66 FCFA 4,883

$8.43 ฿275

2.73%

Cappuccino

$5.30 FCFA 2,989

$2.93 ฿95.6

80.89%

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

$0.89 FCFA 505

$0.69 ฿22.40

28.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 FCFA 510

$0.37 ฿11.99

143.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$2.79 FCFA 1,572

$2.23 ฿72.9

25.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

Eggs

$4.27 FCFA 2,409

$2.21 ฿72.3

93.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.84 FCFA 3,857

$19.74 ฿645

-65.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.83 FCFA 3,854

$3.63 ฿119

88.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.15 FCFA 4,030

$13.53 ฿442

-47.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 FCFA 525

$0.99 ฿32.29

-6.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 FCFA 693

$0.51 ฿16.67

141.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 FCFA 2,611

$4.41 ฿144

4.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 FCFA 814

$1.78 ฿58.1

-19.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.33 FCFA 753

$1.37 ฿44.79

-2.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.60 FCFA 15.0K

$11.39 ฿372

133.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 FCFA 513

$3.02 ฿98.6

-69.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 FCFA 452

$0.99 ฿32.48

-19.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.98 FCFA 5,063

$14.10 ฿461

-36.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

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

$33.0K FCFA 18.6M

$28.2K ฿921.1K

17.02%

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

$29.3K FCFA 16.5M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-11.09%

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

$122 ฿3,975

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

$17.40 FCFA 9,811

$13.57 ฿443

28.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.32 FCFA 9,768

$18.31 ฿598

-5.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.03 FCFA 19.8K

$60.2 ฿1,967

-41.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.89 FCFA 8,396

$17.14 ฿560

-13.13%

Cinema Ticket

$5.56 FCFA 3,138

$8.69 ฿284

-36.02%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$359 FCFA 202.2K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-97.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.93 FCFA 15.2K

$59.5 ฿1,944

-54.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$132 FCFA 74.2K

$34.77 ฿1,136

278.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.9 FCFA 50.7K

$83.3 ฿2,720

7.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 FCFA 150.0K

$613 ฿20.0K

-56.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$123 FCFA 69.4K

$437 ฿14.3K

-71.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 FCFA 539.2K

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-54.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$522 FCFA 294.3K

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-65.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$847 FCFA 477.4K

$3,749 ฿122.5K

-77.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$634 FCFA 357.8K

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-75.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $266 in Malabo 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Malabo versus $45.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $147 in Malabo vs $293 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: $605 in Malabo, $1,265 in Phuket – roughly 109% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $907 per month in Malabo 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 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 134% less in Malabo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 100% 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 $605, than in Phuket at $1,265. 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 $605 in Malabo to $1,265 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.