Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Dhulikhel Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Dhulikhel

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,223 per month in Phuket vs $402 in Dhulikhel, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,237 per month in Phuket vs $658 in Dhulikhel, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,251 per month in Phuket vs $914 in Dhulikhel, rent included.

Phuket costs about 204% more than Dhulikhel, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Dhulikhel are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Dhulikhel 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿147

$1.84 NPR 278

145.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,515

$18.95 NPR 2,867

146.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿276

$6.69 NPR 1,012

26.91%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿100

$1.50 NPR 226

105.33%

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

$0.68 ฿22.07

$0.54 NPR 81.0

25.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.75

$0.16 NPR 24.15

125.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿78.8

$2.62 NPR 397

-7.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿118

$3.57 NPR 541

1.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.1

$0.73 NPR 111

200.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.0

$0.56 NPR 84.3

223.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿72.5

$0.75 NPR 114

197.33%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿72.7

$1.70 NPR 258

31.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿637

$7.23 NPR 1,095

171.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿121

$3.13 NPR 473

18.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿438

$6.08 NPR 920

121.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿109

$2.25 NPR 340

49.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿52.5

$1.05 NPR 159

54.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.3

$1.25 NPR 189

92.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.6

$0.68 NPR 104

192.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.76

$0.48 NPR 73.1

218.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.19

$0.68 NPR 102

113.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿32.96

$0.49 NPR 73.6

106.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.73

$0.25 NPR 37.61

92.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿139

$2.83 NPR 428

50.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿621

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿59.7

$2.25 NPR 340

-18.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.1

$3.24 NPR 491

-15.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.06

$0.19 NPR 28.39

647.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿97.6

$2.22 NPR 336

35.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.00

$0.78 NPR 117

34.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿452

$3.62 NPR 548

283.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿41.94

$1.22 NPR 185

5.74%

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

$28.0K ฿911.1K

$32.6K NPR 4.9M

-14.00%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$41.3K NPR 6.2M

-18.81%

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

$122 ฿3,964

$26.92 NPR 4,073

353.12%

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

$13.93 ฿453

$4.89 NPR 741

184.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿613

$9.79 NPR 1,482

92.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿1,992

$18.40 NPR 2,785

233.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿289

$2.81 NPR 425

216.37%

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

$691 ฿22.5K

$73.4 NPR 11.1K

842.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿525.2K

$2,764 NPR 418.3K

484.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$24.91 NPR 3,769

132.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,150

$27.33 NPR 4,135

29.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,685

$44.78 NPR 6,776

153.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,698

$28.99 NPR 4,386

186.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.7K

$103 NPR 15.6K

487.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.6K

$64.8 NPR 9,797

591.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.0K

$210 NPR 31.8K

865.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.5K

$143 NPR 21.6K

946.14%

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

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 Dhulikhel: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $607 in Phuket versus $103 in Dhulikhel. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket versus $19.00 in Dhulikhel. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $130 – making Dhulikhel 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 Dhulikhel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 204%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,835 per month in Phuket and $603 in Dhulikhel. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dhulikhel, 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 Dhulikhel. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 125% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Dhulikhel, where all-in costs run around $402, than in Phuket at $1,223. In Dhulikhel it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Dhulikhel – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Dhulikhel. 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.