Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Dharan Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Dharan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,223 per month in Phuket vs $329 in Dharan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,237 per month in Phuket vs $559 in Dharan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,251 per month in Phuket vs $788 in Dharan, rent included.

Phuket costs about 271% more than Dharan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Dharan are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Dharan 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿147

$2.14 NPR 324

110.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,515

$19.03 NPR 2,879

144.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿276

$6.66 NPR 1,007

27.48%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿100

$1.77 NPR 267

74.01%

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

$0.68 ฿22.07

$0.35 NPR 53.1

94.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.75

$0.13 NPR 19.45

176.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿78.8

$2.64 NPR 399

-7.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿118

$3.58 NPR 542

1.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.1

$0.66 NPR 101

231.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.0

$0.37 NPR 56.3

389.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿72.5

$0.76 NPR 115

193.42%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿72.7

$1.50 NPR 227

49.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿637

$7.33 NPR 1,109

167.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿121

$2.99 NPR 452

24.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿438

$5.07 NPR 767

165.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿109

$2.04 NPR 309

64.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿52.5

$0.54 NPR 81.1

200.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.3

$0.63 NPR 96.0

282.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.6

$0.41 NPR 62.8

385.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.76

$0.30 NPR 45.46

410.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.19

$0.53 NPR 80.9

173.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿32.96

$0.50 NPR 75.3

102.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.73

$0.23 NPR 34.44

108.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿139

$2.94 NPR 445

45.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿621

$3.01 NPR 455

535.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿59.7

$2.30 NPR 348

-20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.1

$3.32 NPR 502

-17.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.06

$0.23 NPR 34.54

517.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿97.6

$2.13 NPR 323

40.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.00

$0.78 NPR 118

34.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿452

$3.70 NPR 560

275.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿41.94

$1.38 NPR 209

-6.52%

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

$28.0K ฿911.1K

$31.7K NPR 4.8M

-11.69%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$40.6K NPR 6.1M

-17.56%

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

$122 ฿3,964

$26.15 NPR 3,957

366.46%

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

$13.93 ฿453

$4.98 NPR 753

179.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿613

$11.71 NPR 1,772

61.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿1,992

$12.81 NPR 1,938

378.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿289

$2.85 NPR 431

211.93%

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

$691 ฿22.5K

$21.99 NPR 3,328

3044.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿525.2K

$2,709 NPR 409.9K

496.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$12.98 NPR 1,964

345.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,150

$27.60 NPR 4,175

28.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,685

$29.57 NPR 4,474

283.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,698

$33.19 NPR 5,021

150.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.7K

$39.47 NPR 5,972

1436.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.6K

$20.35 NPR 3,078

2101.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.0K

$88.1 NPR 13.3K

2204.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.5K

$53.9 NPR 8,161

2668.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿116.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.4K

$182 NPR 27.5K

177.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

12.08

-55.88%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026

Last update for Dharan: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $607 in Phuket versus $39.47 in Dharan. 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 177% higher in Phuket, 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 $47.00 in Phuket versus $19.00 in Dharan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $120 – making Dharan 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 Dharan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 271% more than Dharan, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,835 per month in Phuket and $494 in Dharan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dharan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket and $19.00 in Dharan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 142% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Dharan, where all-in costs run around $329, than in Phuket at $1,223. In Dharan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Dharan costs $329 versus $1,223 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Dharan. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.