Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Dar'a Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Dar'a

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $201 in Dar'a.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $400 in Dar'a.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $599 in Dar'a.

Living in Phuket is roughly 529% more expensive than Dar'a, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Dar'a 85% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$2.98 SYP 330

57.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$15.08 SYP 1,666

200.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$0.97 SYP 107

202.06%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.73 SYP 80.4

-5.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.52 SYP 57.6

-28.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$0.48 SYP 53.5

364.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$0.29 SYP 31.81

531.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.23 SYP 136

76.42%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$1.22 SYP 135

81.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$4.09 SYP 451

382.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$3.12 SYP 345

16.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$6.56 SYP 725

106.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$0.31 SYP 34.37

958.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.17 SYP 130

37.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$0.61 SYP 68.0

295.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$0.31 SYP 34.71

570.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$0.38 SYP 42.12

302.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$0.24 SYP 26.43

516.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.26 SYP 28.60

280.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.52 SYP 57.7

-1.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$2.25 SYP 249

96.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.27 SYP 30.14

407.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$1.48 SYP 164

-33.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$4.06 SYP 449

247.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.73 SYP 191

-21.39%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

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

$122 ฿3,975

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

$13.57 ฿443

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$3.40 SYP 375

1671.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$6.04 SYP 667

183.77%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$3.08 SYP 341

182.14%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$9.85 SYP 1,088

504.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$25.28 SYP 2,794

37.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$17.21 SYP 1,902

383.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$49.20 SYP 5,437

1146.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$34.83 SYP 3,849

1154.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$204 SYP 22.5K

927.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$123 SYP 13.6K

1127.69%

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

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Dar'a: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $49.20 in Dar'a. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $15.00 in Dar'a for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $87.0 per month, with Dar'a cheaper across the board.

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 Dar'a: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dar'a wins on cost – living expenses run 529% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Dar'a the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $302 in Dar'a to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $49.20 in Dar'a. 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 $201 in Dar'a – a 529% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 238% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $201 in Dar'a versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Dar'a but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Dar'a the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Dar'a delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $201 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Dar'a hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Dar'a 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 Dar'a gentler on the wallet – expenses run 529% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.