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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,264 per month in Phuket vs $396 in Dhulikhel, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,256 per month in Phuket vs $668 in Dhulikhel, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Phuket vs $941 in Dhulikhel, rent included.

Phuket costs about 219% more than Dhulikhel, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Dhulikhel are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 5% lower, Dhulikhel 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$1.84 NPR 281

143.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$18.57 NPR 2,834

145.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$6.73 NPR 1,027

30.16%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$1.48 NPR 225

100.68%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.54 NPR 82.0

27.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.17 NPR 26.14

129.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$2.67 NPR 407

-5.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$3.69 NPR 562

1.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$0.74 NPR 112

190.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$0.55 NPR 83.6

230.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$0.77 NPR 117

183.12%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$1.71 NPR 260

31.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$7.24 NPR 1,106

176.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$3.20 NPR 488

13.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$6.15 NPR 938

120.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$2.21 NPR 338

46.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.09 NPR 167

50.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.24 NPR 190

87.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$0.69 NPR 105

200.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$0.48 NPR 73.6

222.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$0.64 NPR 97.1

128.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$0.49 NPR 74.4

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.27 NPR 41.28

77.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$2.82 NPR 431

54.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$2.34 NPR 357

-20.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$3.22 NPR 492

-17.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.20 NPR 29.80

610.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$2.23 NPR 340

42.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$0.75 NPR 115

37.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$3.71 NPR 566

274.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.28 NPR 195

4.69%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$32.4K NPR 4.9M

-14.10%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$39.9K NPR 6.1M

-16.27%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$26.77 NPR 4,086

359.66%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$4.81 NPR 734

186.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$9.48 NPR 1,447

93.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$18.46 NPR 2,818

228.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$2.66 NPR 406

233.46%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$73.9 NPR 11.3K

831.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$2,773 NPR 423.3K

468.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$25.31 NPR 3,863

134.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$27.28 NPR 4,163

27.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$45.07 NPR 6,879

155.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$29.33 NPR 4,476

185.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$106 NPR 16.2K

485.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$64.1 NPR 9,788

595.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$205 NPR 31.3K

892.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$143 NPR 21.8K

947.41%

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

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 Dhulikhel: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $621 in Phuket versus $106 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $19.00 in Dhulikhel. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $131 – 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 219%, 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 $1,896 per month in Phuket and $593 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 $46.00 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 122% 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 $396, than in Phuket at $1,264. 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.