Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Dasmarinas Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Dasmarinas

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $539 in Dasmarinas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $986 in Dasmarinas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $1,432 in Dasmarinas.

Living in Phuket is roughly 134% more expensive than Dasmarinas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Dasmarinas 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$3.48 ₱212

31.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$13.43 ₱815

247.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$2.71 ₱165

212.55%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$1.65 ₱100.0

83.64%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.54 ₱32.53

27.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.33 ₱20.21

12.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$1.07 ₱65.0

132.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$1.30 ₱79.2

181.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.60 ₱97.0

36.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$1.11 ₱67.2

71.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$0.81 ₱49.03

171.60%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$2.03 ₱123

9.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$5.79 ₱352

245.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.73 ₱227

-1.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$8.12 ₱493

63.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$2.64 ₱161

22.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.46 ₱88.7

16.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.73 ₱105

38.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$0.68 ₱41.21

205.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.09 ₱66.0

45.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$2.21 ₱134

-33.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$0.72 ₱43.58

43.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.42 ₱25.64

23.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$2.08 ₱126

104.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$9.14 ₱555

105.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.07 ₱64.9

64.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$2.32 ₱141

18.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.26 ₱15.67

423.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$4.56 ₱277

149.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$0.93 ₱56.7

237.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$0.22 ₱13.31

372.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$2.44 ₱148

464.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.10 ₱66.8

21.82%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$31.7K ₱1.9M

-12.63%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$20.2K ₱1.2M

67.37%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$42.68 ₱2,592

189.57%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$34.88 ₱2,118

-61.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$26.27 ₱1,595

-28.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$11.89 ₱722

419.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$4.30 ₱261

301.16%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$5.87 ₱356

55.71%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$149 ₱9,024

372.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$4,753 ₱288.6K

233.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$48.33 ₱2,935

23.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$27.66 ₱1,679

26.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$76.0 ₱4,616

51.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$46.97 ₱2,852

78.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$267 ₱16.2K

132.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$83.1 ₱5,044

420.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$576 ₱35.0K

257.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$401 ₱24.4K

276.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$393 ₱23.9K

567.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$369 ₱22.4K

37.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.4

-16.72%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Dasmarinas: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $267 in Dasmarinas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 37% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $13.00 in Dasmarinas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $175 per month, with Dasmarinas 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 Dasmarinas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Dasmarinas differ by about 134% in total monthly costs ($1,261 vs $539 including rent). Dasmarinas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Phuket pays 37% 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: $619 in Phuket versus $267 in Dasmarinas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Dasmarinas runs roughly 149% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $149 in Dasmarinas. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $539 in Dasmarinas versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Dasmarinas but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Dasmarinas 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 Dasmarinas 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 Dasmarinas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 134% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.