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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,264 per month in Phuket vs $332 in Dharan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,256 per month in Phuket vs $560 in Dharan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Phuket vs $788 in Dharan, rent included.

Phuket costs about 281% more than Dharan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Dharan are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 5% lower, Dharan 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$2.13 NPR 326

110.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$18.61 NPR 2,840

144.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$6.41 NPR 978

36.66%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$1.84 NPR 280

61.41%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.36 NPR 54.4

91.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.16 NPR 23.66

143.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$2.55 NPR 389

-0.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$3.68 NPR 562

1.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$0.66 NPR 100

225.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$0.37 NPR 56.5

391.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$0.76 NPR 115

186.84%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$1.57 NPR 240

43.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$7.23 NPR 1,104

176.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$2.98 NPR 455

21.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$5.12 NPR 781

164.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$1.99 NPR 304

62.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$0.54 NPR 81.8

203.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$0.68 NPR 104

242.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$0.39 NPR 59.5

430.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$0.30 NPR 46.43

416.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$0.53 NPR 80.2

175.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$0.52 NPR 79.6

88.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.18 NPR 27.45

166.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$2.93 NPR 447

48.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$2.85 NPR 435

551.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$2.29 NPR 350

-18.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$3.32 NPR 507

-20.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.19 NPR 28.40

647.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$2.22 NPR 338

42.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$0.81 NPR 124

27.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$3.70 NPR 565

275.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.33 NPR 202

0.75%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$31.7K NPR 4.8M

-12.24%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$40.1K NPR 6.1M

-16.68%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$26.37 NPR 4,025

366.63%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$4.82 NPR 736

185.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$11.52 NPR 1,759

59.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$12.86 NPR 1,962

371.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$2.83 NPR 432

213.43%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$21.97 NPR 3,354

3030.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$2,715 NPR 414.3K

481.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$12.60 NPR 1,923

370.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$27.37 NPR 4,177

26.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$29.45 NPR 4,495

291.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$33.13 NPR 5,057

152.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$40.44 NPR 6,172

1436.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$20.36 NPR 3,107

2090.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$87.5 NPR 13.3K

2225.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$54.0 NPR 8,238

2671.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$132 NPR 20.1K

274.04%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Dharan: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $621 in Phuket versus $40.44 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 274% 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $19.00 in Dharan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $119 – 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 281% 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 $1,896 per month in Phuket and $498 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 $46.00 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 144% 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 $332, than in Phuket at $1,264. 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 $332 versus $1,264 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.