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 $1,382 in Douala, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $2,200 in Douala, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $3,018 in Douala, rent included.

Phuket is about 11% cheaper than Douala, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Phuket sits 10% below the global median, while Douala is 1% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$4.35 FCFA 2,486

1.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$123 FCFA 70.1K

-73.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$7.18 FCFA 4,100

24.37%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$2.10 FCFA 1,200

38.10%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$1.72 FCFA 985

-48.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.81 FCFA 461

-40.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$1.26 FCFA 720

86.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$2.62 FCFA 1,496

41.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$2.96 FCFA 1,693

-36.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$0.42 FCFA 239

250.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$2.32 FCFA 1,326

-33.19%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$2.01 FCFA 1,147

4.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$23.14 FCFA 13.2K

-15.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$8.02 FCFA 4,582

-57.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$6.52 FCFA 3,728

74.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$4.73 FCFA 2,702

-37.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$2.17 FCFA 1,238

-22.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$2.15 FCFA 1,227

2.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$1.43 FCFA 815

51.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$3.28 FCFA 1,877

-53.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$2.24 FCFA 1,278

-40.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$0.72 FCFA 413

56.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.65 FCFA 371

-15.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$2.67 FCFA 1,527

59.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$8.88 FCFA 5,073

114.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$1.52 FCFA 870

17.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$1.85 FCFA 1,059

50.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$0.65 FCFA 370

243.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

$17.44 FCFA 9,968

30.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$0.59 FCFA 338

413.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$0.91 FCFA 521

12.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$8.22 FCFA 4,698

-52.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$1.45 FCFA 827

2.76%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$30.4K FCFA 17.3M

-12.43%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$16.1K FCFA 9.2M

67.70%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$165 FCFA 94.0K

-37.74%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$26.52 FCFA 15.2K

-57.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$185 FCFA 105.6K

-90.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$42.26 FCFA 24.1K

23.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$9.02 FCFA 5,157

-14.75%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$539 FCFA 307.9K

4.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$3,461 FCFA 2.0M

232.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$80.8 FCFA 46.2K

-21.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$68.2 FCFA 39.0K

-56.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$145 FCFA 82.8K

-32.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$155 FCFA 88.8K

-43.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$566 FCFA 323.6K

30.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$331 FCFA 189.4K

45.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$1,385 FCFA 791.5K

52.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$560 FCFA 320.1K

118.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$2,067 FCFA 1.2M

74.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$990 FCFA 565.5K

163.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$232 FCFA 132.5K

112.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

19.04

-70.75%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Douala: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Phuket versus $566 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 113% 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $123 in Douala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $287 – making Phuket 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 Douala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Douala is pricier by about 12%, 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 $2,073 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.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Douala, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket and $123 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 $1,382. 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.