Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Dahab Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Dahab

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $455 in Dahab, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $741 in Dahab, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $1,027 in Dahab, rent included.

Phuket costs about 178% more than Dahab, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Dahab are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Dahab 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$3.52 E£183

33.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$15.71 E£814

188.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$4.73 E£245

78.22%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$1.51 E£78.1

94.04%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.29 E£14.94

137.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.12 E£6.28

208.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.21 E£62.6

99.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.89 E£150

28.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$0.89 E£46.16

150.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$0.58 E£30.06

215.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$0.71 E£36.64

205.63%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$1.43 E£74.3

54.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$3.29 E£171

500.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$4.32 E£224

-15.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$8.54 E£442

58.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$1.42 E£73.3

130.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$0.54 E£27.86

198.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$0.42 E£21.87

473.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$0.39 E£20.37

433.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$0.41 E£21.12

273.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$0.44 E£22.73

236.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.24 E£12.47

312.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.21 E£10.63

142.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$1.93 E£100

128.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$6.67 E£345

190.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.36 E£70.6

30.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$1.79 E£92.5

51.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.18 E£9.55

661.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$0.42 E£21.72

619.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$0.31 E£16.13

219.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$1.97 E£102

615.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$0.31 E£15.85

338.71%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$34.9K E£1.8M

-19.16%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$33.5K E£1.7M

-1.83%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$11.95 E£619

918.41%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$6.54 E£339

107.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$10.64 E£551

72.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$22.64 E£1,173

165.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$2.91 E£151

198.63%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$88.1 E£4,563

687.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$1,883 E£97.5K

733.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$27.67 E£1,433

115.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$47.99 E£2,486

-27.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$111 E£5,736

3.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$50.0 E£2,591

66.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$190 E£9,847

222.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$98.4 E£5,096

344.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$305 E£15.8K

586.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$178 E£9,196

750.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$137 E£7,103

270.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

16.67

-68.03%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Dahab: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $190 in Dahab. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 271% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket versus $16.00 in Dahab. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $124 – making Dahab the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Dahab: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 178%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $683 in Dahab. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dahab, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,265 in Phuket and $455 in Dahab. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $693 per month in Phuket and $88.1 in Dahab. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Dahab, where all-in costs run around $455, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Dahab it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Dahab – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Dahab. 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.