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: $1,250 in Phuket versus $203 in Dar'a.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $396 in Dar'a.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $590 in Dar'a.

Living in Phuket is roughly 517% more expensive than in 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

$4.55 ฿153

$2.96 SYP 360

53.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,554

$15.22 SYP 1,850

203.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿298

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$0.97 SYP 118

215.46%

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

$0.73 ฿24.42

$0.74 SYP 89.6

-1.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.40

$0.52 SYP 62.9

-23.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$0.52 SYP 63.3

334.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$0.29 SYP 34.77

524.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.17 SYP 142

92.31%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.6

$1.23 SYP 149

82.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$3.90 SYP 473

400.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$3.24 SYP 393

12.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$6.64 SYP 807

96.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$0.29 SYP 34.74

1013.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.22 SYP 148

32.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.2

$0.62 SYP 75.1

283.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.2

$0.31 SYP 37.73

554.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$0.38 SYP 46.71

302.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$0.24 SYP 28.94

525.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.93

$0.28 SYP 34.30

250.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.40

$0.51 SYP 62.3

1.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$2.22 SYP 270

100.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.49

$0.25 SYP 30.35

464.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.08

$1.52 SYP 185

-31.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿475

$3.96 SYP 481

256.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.13

$1.66 SYP 201

-21.08%

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

$27.8K ฿936.0K

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

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

$122 ฿4,120

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

$13.59 ฿457

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,035

$3.53 SYP 429

1613.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

$6.07 SYP 737

179.74%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$2.91 SYP 354

211.68%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,970

$10.13 SYP 1,231

477.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,190

$25.25 SYP 3,069

40.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,885

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,818

$16.96 SYP 2,061

393.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.1K

$49.38 SYP 6,001

1166.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$34.67 SYP 4,213

1183.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.7K

$198 SYP 24.0K

931.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$125 SYP 15.2K

1094.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Dar'a: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $49.38 in Dar'a. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $15.00 in Dar'a for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 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 517% 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 $1,875 in Phuket and $304 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: $626 in Phuket versus $49.38 in Dar'a. 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 $203 in Dar'a – a 517% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 232% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $203 in Dar'a versus $1,250 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 $203 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 517% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.