🙂A single person spends $1,253 per month in Phuket vs $2,050 in Dartmouth, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $2,043 per month in Phuket vs $3,065 in Dartmouth, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $2,833 per month in Phuket vs $4,080 in Dartmouth, rent included.
🙂Phuket is about 39% cheaper than Dartmouth, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Phuket sits 9% below the global median, while Dartmouth is 49% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Dartmouth
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.56฿150
$10.99CA$15.16
-58.51%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.62฿1,073
$62.3CA$86.0
-47.67%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.90฿293
$7.15CA$9.86
24.48%
Cappuccino
$2.80฿92.2
$3.73CA$5.14
-24.93%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88฿28.94
$2.07CA$2.86
-57.49%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.08
$1.87CA$2.58
-73.80%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.39฿78.5
$4.44CA$6.12
-46.17%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.71฿122
$5.88CA$8.11
-36.90%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Dartmouth
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.79฿58.8
$2.44CA$3.36
-26.64%
White Bread(500g)
$1.44฿47.40
$2.11CA$2.90
-31.75%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.58฿52.1
$3.52CA$4.85
-55.11%
Eggs
$2.13฿69.9
$3.69CA$5.09
-42.28%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.92฿655
$7.78CA$10.72
156.04%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.43฿113
$9.27CA$12.78
-63.00%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.33฿372
$11.07CA$15.26
2.35%
Apples(1kg)
$2.95฿97.0
$3.67CA$5.06
-19.62%
Banana(1kg)
$1.72฿56.6
$1.62CA$2.23
6.17%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.32฿76.5
$4.79CA$6.61
-51.57%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.4
$5.62CA$7.75
-62.99%
Potato(1kg)
$1.47฿48.34
$1.99CA$2.75
-26.13%
Onion(1kg)
$1.36฿44.65
$2.19CA$3.01
-37.90%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.10฿36.13
$2.57CA$3.54
-57.20%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.57฿18.89
$2.14CA$2.95
-73.36%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27฿140
$14.24CA$19.64
-70.01%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.42฿606
$14.15CA$19.52
30.18%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.87฿61.5
$3.47CA$4.79
-46.11%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.92฿96.1
$4.00CA$5.51
-27.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Dartmouth
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.22฿73.0
$1.95CA$2.69
13.85%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$22.90฿753
$62.0CA$85.5
-63.08%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.03฿99.6
$2.95CA$4.06
2.71%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.07฿35.32
$1.35CA$1.86
-20.74%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.93฿129
$21.83CA$30.10
-82.00%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.49฿49.06
$1.11CA$1.53
34.23%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.1K฿892.0K
$28.0KCA$38.6K
-3.18%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.5K฿902.6K
$19.6KCA$27.1K
39.91%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Dartmouth
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$103฿3,380
$79.5CA$110
29.39%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.99฿361
$41.74CA$57.6
-73.67%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.51฿576
$66.0CA$91.0
-73.45%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Dartmouth
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$53.5฿1,760
$36.67CA$50.6
45.98%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.20฿368
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.48฿246
$13.10CA$18.07
-42.90%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Dartmouth
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$557฿18.3K
$380CA$524
46.71%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.9K฿389.7K
$13.8KCA$19.1K
-14.38%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Dartmouth
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$64.1฿2,107
$41.23CA$56.9
55.40%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.07฿956
$34.05CA$46.96
-14.63%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$96.0฿3,155
$68.3CA$94.1
40.60%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.3฿2,970
$74.8CA$103
20.76%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Dartmouth
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$730฿24.0K
$1,242CA$1,713
-41.21%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$500฿16.4K
$1,073CA$1,480
-53.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,090฿68.7K
$2,020CA$2,786
3.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209฿39.8K
$1,859CA$2,564
-34.95%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,596฿118.2K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,512฿82.6K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Dartmouth
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$503฿16.6K
$2,629CA$3,625
-80.85%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
4.6
21.09%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026
Last update for Dartmouth: August 30, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $730 in Phuket versus $1,242 in Dartmouth. 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 422% higher in Dartmouth, 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 $33.00 in Phuket versus $62.0 in Dartmouth. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $273 vs $352 – making Phuket 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 Dartmouth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Phuket and in Dartmouth compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,253 in Phuket, $2,050 in Dartmouth – roughly 64% apart. Dartmouth costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Phuket compared to Dartmouth?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,880 per month in Phuket and $3,076 in Dartmouth. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Phuket and Dartmouth?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Phuket or Dartmouth?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,253 in Phuket and $2,050 in Dartmouth. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
How do commuting costs compare in Phuket and in Dartmouth?
Public transport costs about 171% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,253, than in Dartmouth at $2,050. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dartmouth it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Phuket and Dartmouth?
It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,253 in Phuket to $2,050 in Dartmouth. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Phuket or Dartmouth safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Phuket and Dartmouth?
If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Dartmouth makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.