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: $1,264 in Phuket versus $997 in Cotonou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,426 in Cotonou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $1,854 in Cotonou.

Living in Phuket is roughly 27% more expensive than in Cotonou, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Cotonou 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$3.46 F CFA 1,967

29.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$26.77 F CFA 15.2K

70.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$5.16 F CFA 2,927

69.77%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$5.56 F CFA 3,154

-46.58%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.86 F CFA 488

-19.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.79 F CFA 446

-50.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$1.40 F CFA 794

80.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$3.61 F CFA 2,047

3.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$2.58 F CFA 1,462

-16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$1.44 F CFA 815

26.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.92 F CFA 1,092

13.54%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$2.22 F CFA 1,263

1.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$9.25 F CFA 5,253

116.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$5.05 F CFA 2,869

-28.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$5.16 F CFA 2,929

162.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$3.88 F CFA 2,202

-16.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.37 F CFA 779

19.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.21 F CFA 689

92.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.74 F CFA 988

18.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.34 F CFA 761

15.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.50 F CFA 853

-2.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$0.51 F CFA 291

92.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$1.23 F CFA 700

-60.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$2.35 F CFA 1,332

85.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$4.28 F CFA 2,430

333.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$1.20 F CFA 681

55.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$2.29 F CFA 1,301

15.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$1.80 F CFA 1,023

-21.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$1.38 F CFA 784

129.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$1.25 F CFA 707

-17.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$1.74 F CFA 988

698.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.11 F CFA 631

20.72%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$24.9K F CFA 14.1M

34.18%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$266 F CFA 151.1K

-53.77%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$43.54 F CFA 24.7K

-68.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$56.1 F CFA 31.8K

-67.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$58.8 F CFA 33.4K

3.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$5.40 F CFA 3,066

217.78%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$7.51 F CFA 4,266

18.11%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$185 F CFA 104.8K

272.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$6,379 F CFA 3.6M

147.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$17.45 F CFA 9,907

239.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$8.70 F CFA 4,939

298.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$9.04 F CFA 5,134

1174.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$49.16 F CFA 27.9K

70.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$199 F CFA 113.0K

212.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$149 F CFA 84.6K

199.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$571 F CFA 324.3K

256.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$283 F CFA 160.6K

429.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$171 F CFA 97.3K

188.11%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Cotonou: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $199 in Cotonou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 188% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $27.00 in Cotonou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $209 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 27% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 188% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $621 in Phuket versus $199 in Cotonou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 39% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,264 per month in Phuket versus $997 in Cotonou – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $997 in Cotonou versus $1,264 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 27% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.