Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and DabasCost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Dabas
Monthly Cost of Living
😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,223 in Phuket versus $1,146 in Dabas.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Phuket versus $1,740 in Dabas.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,251 in Phuket versus $2,333 in Dabas.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 7% more expensive than Dabas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket8% lower, Dabas14% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Dabas
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.51฿147
$8.51Ft 2,556
-47.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.62฿1,515
$34.91Ft 10.5K
33.54%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.49฿276
$8.39Ft 2,521
1.19%
Cappuccino
$3.08฿100
$1.47Ft 442
109.52%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.68฿22.07
$1.14Ft 342
-40.35%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36฿11.75
$0.41Ft 124
-12.20%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.43฿78.8
$1.55Ft 465
56.77%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63฿118
$1.47Ft 441
146.94%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Dabas
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.19฿71.1
$1.10Ft 329
99.09%
White Bread(500g)
$1.81฿59.0
$1.40Ft 421
29.29%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.23฿72.5
$1.83Ft 549
21.86%
Eggs
$2.24฿72.7
$2.47Ft 742
-9.31%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.60฿637
$9.22Ft 2,772
112.58%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.72฿121
$5.93Ft 1,783
-37.27%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.47฿438
$14.44Ft 4,341
-6.72%
Apples(1kg)
$3.36฿109
$1.92Ft 578
75.00%
Banana(1kg)
$1.62฿52.5
$2.01Ft 604
-19.40%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿78.3
$2.11Ft 635
14.22%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.99฿64.6
$3.54Ft 1,065
-43.79%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿49.76
$1.27Ft 383
20.47%
Onion(1kg)
$1.45฿47.19
$1.30Ft 390
11.54%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.01฿32.96
$1.72Ft 517
-41.28%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48฿15.73
$0.55Ft 165
-12.73%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27฿139
$7.25Ft 2,178
-41.10%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.12฿621
$4.84Ft 1,455
295.04%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.84฿59.7
$1.16Ft 348
58.62%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74฿89.1
$2.04Ft 612
34.31%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Dabas
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.42฿46.06
$1.14Ft 341
24.56%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.72฿381
$24.75Ft 7,436
-52.65%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.00฿97.6
$3.10Ft 931
-3.23%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.05฿34.00
$1.12Ft 336
-6.25%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.90฿452
$23.33Ft 7,011
-40.42%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.29฿41.94
$1.46Ft 438
-11.64%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K฿911.1K
$26.8KFt 8.1M
4.51%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.5K฿1.1M
$31.1KFt 9.3M
7.72%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Dabas
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,964
$162Ft 48.7K
-24.77%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.93฿453
$27.11Ft 8,145
-48.62%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.87฿613
$19.96Ft 5,997
-5.46%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Dabas
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.3฿1,992
$46.96Ft 14.1K
30.49%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84฿547
$16.58Ft 4,982
1.57%
Cinema Ticket
$8.89฿289
$8.07Ft 2,426
10.16%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Dabas
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$691฿22.5K
$399Ft 120.0K
73.19%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$16.2K฿525.2K
$7,282Ft 2.2M
121.91%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Dabas
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8฿1,878
$92.3Ft 27.7K
-37.40%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.39฿1,150
$43.50Ft 13.1K
-18.64%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,685
$92.3Ft 27.7K
22.85%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.0฿2,698
$99.3Ft 29.8K
-16.43%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Dabas
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$607฿19.7K
$450Ft 135.3K
34.76%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$448฿14.6K
$350Ft 105.2K
27.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,029฿66.0K
$625Ft 187.9K
224.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,493฿48.5K
$535Ft 160.8K
179.06%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,585฿116.5K
$3,271Ft 982.8K
9.60%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,585฿84.0K
$2,478Ft 744.6K
4.33%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Dabas
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$505฿16.4K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
8
-33.38%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026
Last update for Dabas: June 15, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $607 in Phuket and $450 in Dabas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $35.00 in Dabas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $230 per month, with Dabas 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 Dabas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Dabas?
Dabas wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Dabas the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Phuket vs Dabas?
You'd need roughly $1,835 in Phuket and $1,719 in Dabas 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Phuket vs Dabas?
Rent for a central apartment: $607 in Phuket versus $450 in Dabas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Phuket vs Dabas?
A monthly transit pass in Dabas runs roughly 111% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
How do childcare costs compare in Phuket and Dabas?
Childcare runs $691 in Phuket versus $399 in Dabas. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Phuket or Dabas?
At $1,146 in Dabas versus $1,223 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Dabas but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Dabas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Phuket or Dabas?
Both work as nomad bases, but Dabas delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,146 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Dabas hard to pass up.
How safe is Phuket compared to Dabas?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Dabas are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Dabas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.