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: $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,318 in Dakar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $2,218 in Dakar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $3,117 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

$4.55 ฿153

$5.43 F CFA 3,117

-16.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$52.2 F CFA 30.0K

-11.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$10.20 F CFA 5,856

-13.33%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$4.37 F CFA 2,512

-29.98%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.89 F CFA 512

-17.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$1.08 F CFA 620

-62.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$2.70 F CFA 1,552

-10.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$4.51 F CFA 2,587

-16.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$2.57 F CFA 1,476

-12.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$0.67 F CFA 385

170.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.62 F CFA 928

38.89%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$2.76 F CFA 1,584

-18.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$12.68 F CFA 7,278

53.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$9.44 F CFA 5,421

-61.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$10.61 F CFA 6,094

23.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$2.80 F CFA 1,605

15.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.98 F CFA 1,138

-18.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$2.58 F CFA 1,483

-7.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$2.14 F CFA 1,228

-5.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.54 F CFA 883

-0.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.34 F CFA 772

11.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$1.07 F CFA 615

-8.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.82 F CFA 469

-36.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$1.55 F CFA 893

186.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$17.02 F CFA 9,773

7.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.13 F CFA 649

64.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$2.23 F CFA 1,283

20.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.36 F CFA 208

291.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$79.0 F CFA 45.3K

-85.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$2.58 F CFA 1,480

20.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$2.80 F CFA 1,608

-62.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$17.55 F CFA 10.1K

-19.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.78 F CFA 1,022

-26.40%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$36.9K F CFA 21.2M

-24.59%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$50.1K F CFA 28.7M

-33.66%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$140 F CFA 80.2K

-12.32%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$9.57 F CFA 5,494

42.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$49.00 F CFA 28.1K

-61.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$55.5 F CFA 31.9K

9.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$21.51 F CFA 12.4K

-21.06%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$8.75 F CFA 5,024

3.66%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$268 F CFA 153.7K

163.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$7,349 F CFA 4.2M

115.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$68.1 F CFA 39.1K

-14.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$43.58 F CFA 25.0K

-18.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$105 F CFA 60.2K

10.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$128 F CFA 73.8K

-34.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$931 F CFA 534.4K

-32.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$369 F CFA 211.7K

20.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$1,907 F CFA 1.1M

6.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$933 F CFA 535.4K

60.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$5,047 F CFA 2.9M

-30.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$1,444 F CFA 829.2K

78.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$420 F CFA 241.3K

18.94%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Dakar: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $931 in Dakar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 19% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $52.0 in Dakar. Groceries flip the comparison at $289 vs $279, 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 ($1,250 vs $1,318 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 19% higher in Phuket, 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: $626 in Phuket versus $931 in Dakar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,250 per month in Phuket versus $1,318 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 575% less than in Dakar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,318 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.