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: $1,232 in Phuket versus $946 in Cotonou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,477 in Cotonou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $2,009 in Cotonou.

Living in Phuket is roughly 30% more expensive than in Cotonou, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Cotonou 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$5.34 F CFA 3,052

-17.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$36.50 F CFA 20.9K

-11.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$9.92 F CFA 5,668

-9.98%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$5.12 F CFA 2,927

-43.36%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$1.05 F CFA 599

-16.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.91 F CFA 519

-47.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$0.86 F CFA 491

173.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$2.69 F CFA 1,538

38.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$3.17 F CFA 1,814

-41.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$1.28 F CFA 731

14.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.88 F CFA 1,074

-17.55%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$2.81 F CFA 1,605

-25.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$9.66 F CFA 5,522

102.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$5.66 F CFA 3,232

-39.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$5.19 F CFA 2,963

119.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$4.32 F CFA 2,466

-31.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.93 F CFA 1,105

-12.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$1.34 F CFA 764

64.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$2.78 F CFA 1,590

-22.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$1.30 F CFA 741

16.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$1.80 F CFA 1,031

-25.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$0.45 F CFA 257

151.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$1.16 F CFA 663

-52.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$3.44 F CFA 1,963

23.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$4.29 F CFA 2,451

344.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$1.22 F CFA 695

45.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$1.89 F CFA 1,079

47.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$1.36 F CFA 776

63.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$1.38 F CFA 788

119.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$1.44 F CFA 821

-29.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$1.23 F CFA 701

21.14%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$25.1K F CFA 14.3M

7.72%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$151 F CFA 86.1K

-31.95%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$35.44 F CFA 20.2K

-68.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$49.28 F CFA 28.2K

-64.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$49.48 F CFA 28.3K

5.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$3.54 F CFA 2,025

212.71%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$8.86 F CFA 5,061

-13.21%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$137 F CFA 78.0K

310.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$5,660 F CFA 3.2M

103.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$25.92 F CFA 14.8K

143.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$34.87 F CFA 19.9K

181.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$70.6 F CFA 40.3K

25.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$182 F CFA 103.9K

305.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$175 F CFA 99.8K

176.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$614 F CFA 351.0K

242.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$429 F CFA 245.2K

185.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$261 F CFA 149.2K

88.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

39.25%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Cotonou: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $182 in Cotonou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 89% 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $37.00 in Cotonou. Groceries flip the comparison at $274 vs $230, with Cotonou cheaper for home cooking.

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 30% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 89% 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: $738 in Phuket versus $182 in Cotonou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $946 in Cotonou – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $946 in Cotonou versus $1,232 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 30% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.