Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Dipolog Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Dipolog

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,264 per month in Phuket vs $682 in Dipolog, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,256 per month in Phuket vs $1,078 in Dipolog, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Phuket vs $1,473 in Dipolog, rent included.

Phuket costs about 85% more than Dipolog, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Dipolog are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 5% lower, Dipolog 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$1.22 ₱74.8

267.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$21.56 ₱1,319

111.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$3.57 ₱219

145.38%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$2.07 ₱127

43.48%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.53 ₱32.66

30.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.32 ₱19.68

21.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$0.98 ₱60.3

158.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$1.72 ₱106

118.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.88 ₱115

14.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$1.22 ₱74.7

49.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$0.87 ₱53.4

150.57%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$2.18 ₱133

3.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$5.76 ₱353

247.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$4.25 ₱260

-14.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$6.90 ₱422

96.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$3.70 ₱226

-12.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.15 ₱70.6

42.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$3.38 ₱207

-31.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.62 ₱99.3

27.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$2.63 ₱161

-41.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$3.11 ₱191

-53.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$1.64 ₱100

-40.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.85 ₱52.1

-43.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$3.25 ₱199

33.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$4.13 ₱253

349.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$1.32 ₱80.9

40.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$1.40 ₱85.9

89.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.26 ₱15.84

446.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$0.70 ₱42.71

352.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$0.25 ₱15.39

312.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$2.71 ₱166

412.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.04 ₱63.7

28.85%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$24.1K ₱1.5M

15.08%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$19.2K ₱1.2M

73.46%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$64.8 ₱3,965

89.98%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$31.77 ₱1,945

-56.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$30.69 ₱1,879

-40.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$34.29 ₱2,099

76.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$4.39 ₱269

290.89%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$4.33 ₱265

104.85%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$36.05 ₱2,207

1808.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$4,250 ₱260.2K

271.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$45.52 ₱2,786

30.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$22.69 ₱1,389

52.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$61.1 ₱3,739

88.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$26.44 ₱1,619

216.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$271 ₱16.6K

129.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$180 ₱11.0K

147.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$586 ₱35.9K

247.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$401 ₱24.5K

273.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$2,255 ₱138.0K

53.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$1,081 ₱66.2K

134.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$245 ₱15.0K

101.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-33.38%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Dipolog: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $621 in Phuket versus $271 in Dipolog. 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 102% 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 $22.00 in Dipolog. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $198 – making Dipolog 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 Dipolog: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 85% more than Dipolog, 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 $1,023 in Dipolog. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,264 in Phuket and $682 in Dipolog. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $688 per month in Phuket and $36.05 in Dipolog. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Dipolog, where all-in costs run around $682, than in Phuket at $1,264. In Dipolog it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Dipolog costs $682 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 Dipolog. 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.