Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Dong Hoi

For one person, living is cheaper in Dong Hoi: $744 a month against $1,294 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index
36

Cost of Living Index in Dong Hoi
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Dong Hoi Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,294

/mo nomad

Dong Hoi

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$744

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Dong Hoi

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Dong Hoi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,294 in Phuket versus $744 in Dong Hoi.

Phuket $1,294
Dong Hoi $744

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,204 in Phuket versus $1,191 in Dong Hoi.

Phuket $2,204
Dong Hoi $1,191

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,115 in Phuket versus $1,638 in Dong Hoi.

Phuket $3,115
Dong Hoi $1,638

Living in Phuket is roughly 74% more expensive than in Dong Hoi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 4% lower, Dong Hoi 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.39 ฿147

$1.95 ₫50.0K

125.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.31 ฿1,085

$19.02 ₫488.8K

69.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.70 ฿292

$3.48 ₫89.4K

150.00%

Cappuccino

$2.72 ฿91.5

$1.08 ₫27.8K

151.85%

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

$0.93 ฿31.25

$0.34 ₫8,833

173.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.78

$0.35 ₫9,102

42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿85.0

$0.57 ₫14.6K

343.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿122

$2.29 ₫58.9K

58.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 ฿58.4

$1.56 ₫40.2K

11.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 ฿48.73

$0.89 ₫22.9K

62.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.00 ₫25.7K

50.00%

Eggs

$2.17 ฿73.0

$1.53 ₫39.3K

41.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.09 ฿641

$13.20 ₫339.2K

44.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 ฿114

$3.33 ₫85.5K

2.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿366

$9.67 ₫248.6K

12.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 ฿98.8

$2.68 ₫68.8K

9.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$1.16 ₫29.9K

45.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 ฿73.7

$1.34 ₫34.5K

63.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 ฿71.4

$1.52 ₫39.0K

39.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.99

$1.15 ₫29.5K

26.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 ฿45.95

$1.27 ₫32.7K

7.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ฿36.14

$1.01 ₫25.9K

6.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.32

$0.53 ₫13.6K

3.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.43 ฿149

$1.53 ₫39.4K

189.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.25 ฿613

$7.71 ₫198.2K

136.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ฿59.5

$0.88 ₫22.6K

101.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ฿96.8

$2.19 ₫56.3K

31.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿48.62

$0.34 ₫8,740

326.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 ฿1,844

$7.16 ₫184.0K

666.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 ฿50.8

$1.02 ₫26.2K

48.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 ฿26.06

$0.48 ₫12.2K

62.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.84 ฿129

$2.57 ₫66.0K

49.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.96

$0.91 ₫23.5K

63.74%

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

$26.9K ฿902.9K

$30.9K ₫794.8M

-13.08%

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

$26.3K ฿884.9K

$28.1K ₫723.0M

-6.35%

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

$97.8 ฿3,285

$65.7 ₫1.7M

48.85%

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

$11.29 ฿379

$6.16 ₫158.4K

83.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.19 ฿577

$8.41 ₫216.1K

104.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.3 ฿2,295

$19.12 ₫491.3K

257.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.92 ฿367

$7.20 ₫185.0K

51.67%

Cinema Ticket

$7.43 ฿250

$3.43 ₫88.2K

116.62%

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

$530 ฿17.8K

$459 ₫11.8M

15.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K ฿630.9K

$20.5K ₫528.0M

-8.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.7 ฿2,072

$45.86 ₫1.2M

34.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.25 ฿949

$28.34 ₫728.2K

-0.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,225

$101 ₫2.6M

-4.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.8 ฿2,916

$84.1 ₫2.2M

3.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$721 ฿24.2K

$435 ₫11.2M

65.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$509 ฿17.1K

$266 ₫6.8M

91.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,950 ฿65.5K

$746 ₫19.2M

161.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,397 ฿46.9K

$566 ₫14.5M

146.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,192 ฿140.8K

$2,183 ₫56.1M

92.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,298 ฿110.8K

$1,164 ₫29.9M

183.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$492 ฿16.5K

$398 ₫10.2M

23.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-20.43%

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

Last update for Phuket: November 2, 2026

Last update for Dong Hoi: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$509 39.3%

Dong Hoi

$266 35.8% 47.7% $243

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$267 20.6%

Dong Hoi

$194 26.1% 27.4% $73

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$126 9.8%

Dong Hoi

$80 10.8% 36.4% $46

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$123 9.5%

Dong Hoi

$117 15.7% 5% $6.1

Eating Out

Phuket

$120 9.2%

Dong Hoi

$49 6.6% 58.9% $70

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$83 6.4%

Dong Hoi

$26 3.5% 68.8% $57

Getting Around

Phuket

$66 5.1%

Dong Hoi

$12 1.6% 82% $54

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $721 in Phuket and $435 in Dong Hoi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 23% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $19 in Dong Hoi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $194 per month, with Dong Hoi cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇻🇳 Dong Hoi

🕒 Local time

09:30 9:30 AM

Same time as Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

91,601

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Vietnamese Dong VND ₫

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.98 USD

100 THB = 2.64 EUR

100,000 VND = 3.89 USD

100,000 VND = 3.46 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

VND, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 33.59 THB (100 THB = 2.98 USD). 1 EUR = 37.81 THB (100 THB = 2.64 EUR).

Vietnamese Dong exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 25,699 VND (100,000 VND = 3.89 USD). 1 EUR = 28,931 VND (100,000 VND = 3.46 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Phuket Dong Hoi 1,390 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Dong Hoi

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Dong Hoi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,294 in Phuket and $744 in Dong Hoi, so Dong Hoi is about 42% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 23% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $721 in Phuket versus $435 in Dong Hoi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $1,294 per month in Phuket versus $744 in Dong Hoi – Dong Hoi is about 42% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Dong Hoi runs roughly 87% less than in Phuket. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

At $744 in Dong Hoi versus $1,294 in Phuket, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Dong Hoi but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Dong Hoi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Dong Hoi are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

Expats usually find Dong Hoi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.