Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Dong Xoai Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Dong Xoai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $740 in Dong Xoai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Phuket vs $1,134 in Dong Xoai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,279 per month in Phuket vs $1,528 in Dong Xoai, rent included.

Phuket costs about 66% more than Dong Xoai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Dong Xoai are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Dong Xoai 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$1.91 ₫50.0K

142.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$21.48 ₫563.6K

118.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$4.41 ₫115.7K

100.45%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$1.58 ₫41.4K

89.87%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.51 ₫13.4K

45.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.30 ₫7,988

23.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$0.99 ₫26.0K

146.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$1.50 ₫39.4K

140.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.43 ₫37.6K

58.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$0.98 ₫25.6K

87.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$0.92 ₫24.2K

143.48%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$1.43 ₫37.4K

62.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$11.54 ₫302.8K

70.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$3.60 ₫94.5K

1.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$9.98 ₫261.8K

31.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$2.74 ₫71.9K

23.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.06 ₫27.8K

54.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.36 ₫35.6K

77.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$1.12 ₫29.3K

81.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$1.07 ₫28.0K

45.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$1.00 ₫26.3K

50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$0.59 ₫15.4K

72.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.49 ₫12.8K

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$1.35 ₫35.5K

229.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$10.15 ₫266.3K

86.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$0.76 ₫19.9K

134.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$1.57 ₫41.2K

75.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$0.34 ₫8,967

311.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

$6.43 ₫168.8K

78.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$0.75 ₫19.6K

316.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$0.63 ₫16.4K

58.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$2.71 ₫71.2K

419.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$0.88 ₫23.1K

53.41%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$35.6K ₫933.3M

-23.58%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$31.9K ₫836.7M

3.23%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$75.5 ₫2.0M

65.65%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$5.75 ₫150.7K

136.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$8.85 ₫232.2K

109.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$21.63 ₫567.6K

184.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

$7.65 ₫200.7K

120.13%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$3.15 ₫82.8K

191.75%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$270 ₫7.1M

158.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$11.6K ₫305.6M

33.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$41.06 ₫1.1M

40.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$23.14 ₫607.2K

52.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$87.9 ₫2.3M

28.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$74.3 ₫1.9M

16.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$356 ₫9.3M

73.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$249 ₫6.5M

79.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$697 ₫18.3M

193.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$475 ₫12.5M

213.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

$3,805 ₫99.8M

-0.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

$1,593 ₫41.8M

66.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

9.1

-41.43%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Dong Xoai: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $616 in Phuket versus $356 in Dong Xoai. 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 $21.00 in Dong Xoai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $188 – making Dong Xoai 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 Dong Xoai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,232 in Phuket, $740 in Dong Xoai – roughly 66% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $1,110 in Dong Xoai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dong Xoai, 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 $1,232 in Phuket and $740 in Dong Xoai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 79% less in Dong Xoai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Dong Xoai, where all-in costs run around $740, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Dong Xoai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $740 in Dong Xoai to $1,232 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Dong Xoai. 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.