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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $469 in Dahab, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $743 in Dahab, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $1,017 in Dahab, rent included.

Phuket costs about 166% more than Dahab, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Dahab are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Dahab 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$3.58 E£183

27.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$16.09 E£821

187.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$4.51 E£230

96.01%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$1.45 E£73.9

111.03%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.29 E£14.79

151.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.10 E£5.10

300.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$1.16 E£59.0

109.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$2.92 E£149

29.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$0.89 E£45.50

153.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$0.59 E£29.96

206.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$0.69 E£35.34

226.09%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$1.40 E£71.4

60.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$3.42 E£175

470.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$4.15 E£212

-12.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$8.77 E£448

48.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$1.42 E£72.4

127.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$0.54 E£27.58

200.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$0.43 E£21.96

453.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$0.37 E£18.87

448.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$0.37 E£19.02

313.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$0.40 E£20.51

275.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$0.22 E£11.21

345.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.20 E£10.40

160.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$1.92 E£97.8

131.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$6.81 E£348

169.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.34 E£68.6

38.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$1.79 E£91.2

49.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.18 E£9.09

683.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$0.39 E£19.83

697.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$0.29 E£14.64

258.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$1.94 E£99.0

627.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$0.33 E£16.92

296.97%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$35.6K E£1.8M

-21.83%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$32.8K E£1.7M

1.21%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$11.81 E£603

936.75%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$6.46 E£330

110.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$10.80 E£551

73.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$21.95 E£1,120

175.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$3.02 E£154

200.33%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$87.3 E£4,458

708.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$1,830 E£93.4K

763.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$27.77 E£1,418

110.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$48.08 E£2,455

-26.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$110 E£5,598

5.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$50.3 E£2,568

66.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$189 E£9,647

231.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$98.5 E£5,028

351.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$306 E£15.6K

566.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$180 E£9,185

729.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$141 E£7,197

254.55%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Dahab: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Phuket versus $189 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 255% 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $16.00 in Dahab. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 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 166%, 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 $1,875 per month in Phuket and $704 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 $1,250 in Phuket and $469 in Dahab. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $706 per month in Phuket and $87.3 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 $469, than in Phuket at $1,250. 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.