Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Douliu

For one person, living is cheaper in Douliu: $1,138 a month against $1,207 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $830 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Phuket outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

59

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index
55

Cost of Living Index in Douliu
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Douliu Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,207

/mo nomad

Douliu

🇹🇼 Taiwan

$1,138

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Douliu

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 Douliu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,207 per month in Phuket vs $1,138 in Douliu, rent included.

Phuket $1,207
Douliu $1,138

A couple spends around $2,037 per month in Phuket vs $1,894 in Douliu, rent included.

Phuket $2,037
Douliu $1,894

A family of three spends $2,867 per month in Phuket vs $2,650 in Douliu, rent included.

Phuket $2,867
Douliu $2,650

Phuket costs about 6% more than Douliu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Phuket and Douliu are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 11% lower, Douliu 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.58 ฿153

$3.85 NT$125

18.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.48 ฿1,086

$22.40 NT$726

45.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.55 ฿286

$5.81 NT$189

47.16%

Cappuccino

$2.72 ฿91.0

$3.40 NT$110

-20.00%

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

$0.94 ฿31.25

$0.94 NT$30.58

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.39

$0.67 NT$21.86

-26.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 ฿86.6

$2.79 NT$90.4

-7.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 ฿128

$3.73 NT$121

2.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 ฿58.1

$3.09 NT$100

-43.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ฿47.82

$2.01 NT$65.1

-28.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.0

$3.17 NT$103

-51.74%

Eggs

$2.17 ฿72.7

$2.76 NT$89.4

-21.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.15 ฿640

$19.44 NT$631

-1.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿110

$9.97 NT$323

-66.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.14 ฿372

$21.44 NT$695

-48.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿98.5

$4.79 NT$155

-38.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.1

$3.29 NT$107

-48.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 ฿76.8

$3.08 NT$99.9

-25.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿71.3

$4.34 NT$141

-50.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.1

$2.82 NT$91.3

-45.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿45.55

$2.34 NT$75.9

-41.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ฿37.44

$1.71 NT$55.6

-34.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$1.10 NT$35.65

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$3.85 NT$125

10.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.19 ฿608

$14.46 NT$469

25.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ฿58.2

$1.63 NT$52.9

6.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 ฿93.3

$2.31 NT$75.0

20.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿74.1

$0.61 NT$19.89

263.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.06 ฿737

$35.53 NT$1,152

-37.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 ฿97.3

$2.66 NT$86.3

9.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 ฿33.79

$0.77 NT$24.82

31.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.83 ฿128

$9.46 NT$307

-59.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.85

$1.03 NT$33.56

44.66%

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

$26.7K ฿891.6K

$34.0K NT$1.1M

-21.51%

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

$26.7K ฿892.7K

$24.0K NT$777.6K

11.39%

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

$99.4 ฿3,321

$86.6 NT$2,807

14.81%

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

$11.28 ฿377

$17.15 NT$556

-34.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.36 ฿580

$27.79 NT$901

-37.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 ฿1,747

$36.37 NT$1,179

43.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.85 ฿362

Cinema Ticket

$7.57 ฿253

$9.54 NT$309

-20.65%

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

$558 ฿18.7K

$663 NT$21.5K

-15.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿383.9K

$17.0K NT$550.7K

-32.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 ฿2,102

$64.5 NT$2,091

-2.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.58 ฿955

$40.75 NT$1,321

-29.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.1 ฿3,213

$85.0 NT$2,756

13.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.1 ฿2,943

$105 NT$3,408

-16.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$729 ฿24.4K

$404 NT$13.1K

80.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$460 ฿15.4K

$257 NT$8,334

78.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,096 ฿70.0K

$982 NT$31.8K

113.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,222 ฿40.8K

$730 NT$23.7K

67.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,459 ฿115.6K

$7,836 NT$254.1K

-55.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,489 ฿83.2K

$4,924 NT$159.7K

-49.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$493 ฿16.5K

$2,544 NT$82.5K

-80.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

2.4

132.08%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 13, 2026

Last update for Douliu: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$460 38.1%

Douliu

$257 22.6% 44.1% $203

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$268 22.2%

Douliu

$400 35.1% 49.4% $132

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$128 10.6%

Douliu

$132 11.6% 2.7% $3.5

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$124 10.3%

Douliu

$133 11.7% 7.1% $8.8

Eating Out

Phuket

$121 10.1%

Douliu

$117 10.3% 3.7% $4.5

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$67 5.6%

Douliu

$55 4.9% 17.8% $12

Getting Around

Phuket

$39 3.2%

Douliu

$44 3.9% 14.4% $5.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $729 in Phuket versus $404 in Douliu. 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 416% higher in Douliu, 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 $22.00 in Douliu. Groceries tell a different story – $268 in Phuket vs $400 in Douliu – so Phuket wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇹🇼 Douliu

🕒 Local time

08:04 8:04 AM

09:04 9:04 AM

1 h ahead of Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

108,401

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

New Taiwan Dollar TWD NT$

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 TWD = 3.08 USD

100 TWD = 2.74 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TWD, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

New Taiwan Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 32.43 TWD (100 TWD = 3.08 USD). 1 EUR = 36.46 TWD (100 TWD = 2.74 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Phuket Douliu 2,940 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Douliu

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 Douliu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 6% more than Douliu, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,811 per month in Phuket and $1,707 in Douliu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket and $22.00 in Douliu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,207 in Phuket and $1,138 in Douliu. That's a gap of about 6%.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Douliu, where all-in costs run around $1,138, than in Phuket at $1,207. In Douliu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Douliu costs $1,138 versus $1,207 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Douliu. 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.