Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Dakar Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Dakar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,327 in Dakar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $2,194 in Dakar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $3,061 in Dakar.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 5% less than in Dakar, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Dakar 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$5.42 F CFA 3,058

-13.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$53.3 F CFA 30.1K

-14.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$10.21 F CFA 5,755

-17.43%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$4.43 F CFA 2,498

-33.86%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.86 F CFA 484

-19.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$1.09 F CFA 615

-66.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$2.57 F CFA 1,450

-6.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$4.36 F CFA 2,457

-14.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$2.52 F CFA 1,423

-11.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$0.64 F CFA 360

185.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.61 F CFA 906

34.78%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$2.88 F CFA 1,625

-23.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$12.78 F CFA 7,209

54.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$9.50 F CFA 5,357

-61.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$10.76 F CFA 6,069

25.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.72 F CFA 1,536

20.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.99 F CFA 1,121

-19.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$2.61 F CFA 1,473

-7.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$2.08 F CFA 1,174

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$1.50 F CFA 844

2.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$1.34 F CFA 758

10.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$1.06 F CFA 600

-6.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.82 F CFA 460

-37.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$1.61 F CFA 908

173.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$15.38 F CFA 8,674

26.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.18 F CFA 667

50.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$2.22 F CFA 1,254

22.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.36 F CFA 204

280.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$80.5 F CFA 45.4K

-85.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$2.68 F CFA 1,514

12.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$2.83 F CFA 1,598

-65.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$17.99 F CFA 10.1K

-21.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.71 F CFA 963

-20.47%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$36.1K F CFA 20.4M

-21.85%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$49.2K F CFA 27.8M

-33.18%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$138 F CFA 78.0K

-12.05%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$9.92 F CFA 5,597

36.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$50.4 F CFA 28.4K

-63.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$56.4 F CFA 31.8K

6.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$21.41 F CFA 12.1K

-19.94%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$9.02 F CFA 5,086

-3.66%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$272 F CFA 153.4K

154.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$7,169 F CFA 4.0M

118.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$68.6 F CFA 38.7K

-13.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$43.93 F CFA 24.8K

-20.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$103 F CFA 58.2K

11.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$131 F CFA 74.1K

-36.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$914 F CFA 515.2K

-32.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$369 F CFA 208.2K

18.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$1,863 F CFA 1.1M

12.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$938 F CFA 528.9K

60.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$4,996 F CFA 2.8M

-24.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$1,491 F CFA 841.1K

75.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$431 F CFA 243.2K

17.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

8.25

-35.39%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Dakar: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $914 in Dakar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 18% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $53.0 in Dakar. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $276, with Dakar 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 Dakar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Dakar differ by about 5% in total monthly costs ($1,265 vs $1,327 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Phuket pays 18% more on average, 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: $613 in Phuket versus $914 in Dakar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $1,327 in Dakar – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 607% less than in Dakar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,327 in Dakar, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Dakar. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Dakar 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Dakar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.