Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cotonou Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cotonou

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,223 in Phuket versus $969 in Cotonou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Phuket versus $1,393 in Cotonou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,251 in Phuket versus $1,816 in Cotonou.

Living in Phuket is roughly 26% more expensive than Cotonou, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Cotonou 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿147

$3.57 F CFA 2,017

26.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,515

$26.18 F CFA 14.8K

78.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿276

$5.41 F CFA 3,053

56.93%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿100

$5.62 F CFA 3,171

-45.20%

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

$0.68 ฿22.07

$0.92 F CFA 522

-26.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.75

$0.72 F CFA 404

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿78.8

$1.43 F CFA 809

69.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿118

$3.50 F CFA 1,976

3.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.1

$2.66 F CFA 1,504

-17.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.0

$1.42 F CFA 803

27.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿72.5

$1.92 F CFA 1,086

16.15%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿72.7

$2.24 F CFA 1,266

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿637

$9.36 F CFA 5,284

109.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿121

$4.85 F CFA 2,737

-23.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿438

$4.96 F CFA 2,797

171.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿109

$4.02 F CFA 2,269

-16.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿52.5

$1.44 F CFA 815

12.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.3

$1.26 F CFA 709

91.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.6

$1.82 F CFA 1,028

9.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.76

$1.34 F CFA 756

14.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.19

$1.48 F CFA 837

-2.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿32.96

$0.48 F CFA 270

110.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.73

$1.23 F CFA 693

-60.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿139

$2.32 F CFA 1,307

84.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿621

$4.53 F CFA 2,556

322.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿59.7

$1.24 F CFA 701

48.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.1

$2.21 F CFA 1,249

23.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.06

$1.81 F CFA 1,021

-21.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿97.6

$1.38 F CFA 778

117.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.00

$1.31 F CFA 737

-19.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿452

$1.72 F CFA 970

708.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿41.94

$1.11 F CFA 626

16.22%

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

$28.0K ฿911.1K

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$24.4K F CFA 13.8M

37.40%

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

$122 ฿3,964

$269 F CFA 152.0K

-54.69%

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

$13.93 ฿453

$44.74 F CFA 25.3K

-68.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿613

$56.0 F CFA 31.6K

-66.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿1,992

$60.0 F CFA 33.9K

2.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

$5.40 F CFA 3,046

211.85%

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿289

$7.72 F CFA 4,356

15.16%

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

$691 ฿22.5K

$190 F CFA 107.3K

263.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿525.2K

$6,481 F CFA 3.7M

149.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$17.36 F CFA 9,797

232.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,150

$9.01 F CFA 5,087

292.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,685

$8.61 F CFA 4,862

1216.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,698

$47.92 F CFA 27.0K

73.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.7K

$200 F CFA 113.0K

203.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.6K

$148 F CFA 83.8K

201.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.0K

$584 F CFA 329.4K

247.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.5K

$283 F CFA 159.7K

427.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿116.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.60%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026

Last update for Cotonou: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $607 in Phuket and $200 in Cotonou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $26.00 in Cotonou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $211 per month, with Cotonou cheaper across the board.

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

Phuket vs Cotonou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cotonou is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 26% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,835 in Phuket and $1,454 in Cotonou 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $607 in Phuket versus $200 in Cotonou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 38% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,223 per month in Phuket versus $969 in Cotonou – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $969 in Cotonou versus $1,223 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cotonou but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Cotonou the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cotonou 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, Phuket and Cotonou 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 Cotonou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.