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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $1,636 in Douala, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Phuket vs $2,621 in Douala, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,279 per month in Phuket vs $3,606 in Douala, rent included.

Phuket is about 25% cheaper than Douala, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Phuket sits 8% below the global median, while Douala is 22% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$9.02 FCFA 5,062

-48.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$126 FCFA 70.4K

-62.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$5.15 FCFA 2,890

71.65%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$1.89 FCFA 1,062

58.73%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$1.68 FCFA 941

-55.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.83 FCFA 467

-55.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$1.18 FCFA 660

106.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$2.66 FCFA 1,492

35.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$2.90 FCFA 1,627

-22.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$0.45 FCFA 250

308.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$2.24 FCFA 1,258

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$1.91 FCFA 1,069

21.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$22.75 FCFA 12.8K

-13.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$7.72 FCFA 4,329

-52.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$6.58 FCFA 3,690

99.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$4.94 FCFA 2,773

-31.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$2.10 FCFA 1,177

-21.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$2.09 FCFA 1,171

15.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$1.36 FCFA 762

49.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$3.38 FCFA 1,897

-53.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$2.24 FCFA 1,256

-33.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$0.73 FCFA 408

39.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.67 FCFA 375

-26.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$3.59 FCFA 2,011

23.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$8.32 FCFA 4,669

126.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.35 FCFA 758

31.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$1.95 FCFA 1,092

41.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$0.65 FCFA 362

115.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

$17.48 FCFA 9,807

-34.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$0.55 FCFA 306

467.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$0.76 FCFA 426

31.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$8.19 FCFA 4,592

72.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.37 FCFA 768

-1.46%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$31.0K FCFA 17.4M

-12.45%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$16.0K FCFA 9.0M

105.43%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$170 FCFA 95.2K

-26.34%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$25.96 FCFA 14.6K

-47.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$182 FCFA 101.9K

-89.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$23.43 FCFA 13.1K

162.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

$3.47 FCFA 1,948

385.30%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$8.60 FCFA 4,822

6.86%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$530 FCFA 297.3K

31.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$3,540 FCFA 2.0M

340.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$81.1 FCFA 45.5K

-28.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$70.3 FCFA 39.4K

-49.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$142 FCFA 79.4K

-20.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$153 FCFA 86.0K

-43.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$915 FCFA 513.0K

-32.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$585 FCFA 328.3K

-23.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$1,889 FCFA 1.1M

8.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$1,129 FCFA 633.3K

32.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

$2,108 FCFA 1.2M

79.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

$1,005 FCFA 563.8K

163.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$163 FCFA 91.6K

220.65%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Douala: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $616 in Phuket versus $915 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 221% 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 $126 in Douala. Groceries tell a different story – $292 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 33%, 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 $1,847 per month in Phuket and $2,454 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 $126 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 $1,232, than in Douala at $1,636. 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.