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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $456 in Dahab, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $760 in Dahab, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $1,064 in Dahab, rent included.

Phuket costs about 170% more than Dahab, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Phuket and Dahab are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 10% lower, Dahab 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$3.81 E£199

15.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$13.60 E£709

137.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$4.73 E£247

88.79%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$1.62 E£84.6

79.01%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$0.46 E£23.88

91.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.27 E£14.16

77.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$1.89 E£98.5

24.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$2.40 E£125

55.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$0.98 E£51.2

90.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$1.14 E£59.4

28.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$0.75 E£39.11

106.67%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$1.32 E£69.0

59.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$10.60 E£553

84.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$3.75 E£195

-8.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$10.56 E£551

7.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$2.26 E£118

31.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.48 E£77.0

13.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$0.66 E£34.21

234.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$0.60 E£31.15

260.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$0.57 E£29.72

166.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$0.56 E£29.20

139.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$0.84 E£43.76

34.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.20 E£10.29

175.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$1.57 E£81.9

171.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$6.95 E£362

174.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$1.67 E£87.1

6.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$0.16 E£8.44

1293.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

$7.85 E£409

189.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$0.75 E£39.06

304.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$0.47 E£24.49

217.02%

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

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

$102 ฿3,420

$18.67 E£973

448.85%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$6.64 E£346

70.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$18.07 E£942

-3.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$15.71 E£819

231.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$9.80 E£511

12.96%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$4.96 E£258

55.04%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$195 E£10.2K

278.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$130 E£6,794

270.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$520 E£27.1K

304.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$324 E£16.9K

277.77%

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

$137 E£7,159

259.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Dahab: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Phuket versus $195 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 260% 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $14.00 in Dahab. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $168 – 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 170%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $684 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 $1,232 in Phuket and $456 in Dahab. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket and $14.00 in Dahab. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Dahab, where all-in costs run around $456, than in Phuket at $1,232. 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.