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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $337 in Dharan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Phuket vs $561 in Dharan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,279 per month in Phuket vs $785 in Dharan, rent included.

Phuket costs about 266% 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

$4.63 ฿151

$2.14 NPR 325

116.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$18.80 NPR 2,855

149.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$6.61 NPR 1,005

33.74%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$1.86 NPR 283

61.29%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.33 NPR 49.73

124.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.15 NPR 22.93

146.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$2.66 NPR 405

-8.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$3.71 NPR 564

-2.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$0.71 NPR 108

218.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$0.37 NPR 56.4

397.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$0.75 NPR 114

198.67%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$1.57 NPR 238

47.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$7.35 NPR 1,117

167.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$2.92 NPR 444

25.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$4.99 NPR 758

162.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$1.99 NPR 302

70.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$0.57 NPR 85.9

187.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$0.63 NPR 96.2

282.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$0.39 NPR 59.2

420.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$0.30 NPR 46.20

420.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$0.52 NPR 79.3

188.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$0.53 NPR 80.2

92.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.20 NPR 30.37

145.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$2.93 NPR 444

51.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$3.05 NPR 463

519.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$2.27 NPR 344

-21.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$3.37 NPR 512

-18.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$0.18 NPR 27.15

677.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$2.17 NPR 329

43.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$0.82 NPR 125

21.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$3.58 NPR 543

293.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.36 NPR 207

-0.74%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$32.3K NPR 4.9M

-15.76%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$40.5K NPR 6.2M

-18.71%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$26.26 NPR 3,989

375.93%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$4.81 NPR 730

182.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$11.62 NPR 1,765

59.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$12.51 NPR 1,900

391.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$2.95 NPR 448

211.53%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$21.91 NPR 3,328

3086.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$2,693 NPR 409.1K

478.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$12.56 NPR 1,908

359.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$27.80 NPR 4,223

26.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$28.74 NPR 4,366

293.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$32.25 NPR 4,899

167.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$39.99 NPR 6,075

1440.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$20.39 NPR 3,098

2087.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$87.8 NPR 13.3K

2233.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$53.9 NPR 8,192

2666.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$185 NPR 28.1K

183.54%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Dharan: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $616 in Phuket versus $39.99 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 184% 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 266% 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 $1,847 per month in Phuket and $505 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 143% 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 $337, than in Phuket at $1,232. 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 $337 versus $1,232 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.