Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Douala Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Douala

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $1,650 in Douala, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,286 per month in Phuket vs $2,654 in Douala, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,310 per month in Phuket vs $3,658 in Douala, rent included.

Phuket is about 24% cheaper than Douala, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Douala is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$8.77 FCFA 4,954

-48.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$125 FCFA 70.8K

-62.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$5.34 FCFA 3,016

58.61%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$1.82 FCFA 1,030

66.48%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$1.64 FCFA 927

-57.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.79 FCFA 448

-53.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$1.13 FCFA 637

120.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.58 FCFA 1,456

41.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$2.81 FCFA 1,589

-22.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$0.45 FCFA 251

322.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$2.31 FCFA 1,307

-4.76%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$2.02 FCFA 1,139

9.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$22.79 FCFA 12.9K

-12.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$7.72 FCFA 4,362

-52.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$6.63 FCFA 3,744

99.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$4.86 FCFA 2,742

-33.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$2.09 FCFA 1,183

-18.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$2.16 FCFA 1,217

10.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.36 FCFA 767

52.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$3.33 FCFA 1,879

-52.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$2.17 FCFA 1,227

-31.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$0.79 FCFA 447

30.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.62 FCFA 352

-16.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$3.47 FCFA 1,958

22.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$8.57 FCFA 4,840

119.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.42 FCFA 800

23.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$1.95 FCFA 1,099

41.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.68 FCFA 385

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$17.61 FCFA 9,946

-35.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$0.56 FCFA 314

460.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$0.75 FCFA 425

38.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$8.46 FCFA 4,780

62.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.44 FCFA 814

-6.94%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$30.3K FCFA 17.1M

-8.75%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$16.0K FCFA 9.0M

111.82%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$167 FCFA 94.1K

-25.79%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$26.57 FCFA 15.0K

-49.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$185 FCFA 104.6K

-89.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$23.91 FCFA 13.5K

158.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$3.63 FCFA 2,051

375.21%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$8.71 FCFA 4,921

4.94%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$534 FCFA 301.4K

31.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$3,478 FCFA 2.0M

356.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$81.3 FCFA 45.9K

-26.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$68.9 FCFA 38.9K

-49.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$143 FCFA 80.5K

-19.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$155 FCFA 87.7K

-45.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$927 FCFA 523.8K

-33.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$592 FCFA 334.5K

-26.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$1,895 FCFA 1.1M

8.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$1,132 FCFA 639.5K

33.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$2,065 FCFA 1.2M

76.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$988 FCFA 557.9K

165.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$162 FCFA 91.5K

212.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

19.21

-72.25%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Douala: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Phuket versus $927 in Douala. 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 213% higher in Phuket, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket versus $125 in Douala. Groceries tell a different story – $293 in Phuket vs $282 in Douala – so Douala wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Douala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Douala is pricier by about 31%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,892 per month in Phuket and $2,476 in Douala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Douala – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket and $125 in Douala. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,261, than in Douala at $1,650. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Douala it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Phuket – 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 Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Douala makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.