🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,532 in Dublin, CA.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $3,765 in Dublin, CA.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $4,997 in Dublin, CA.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 51% less than in Dublin, CA, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 8% below, Dublin, CA is 89% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Dublin, CA
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63฿151
$30.51$30.51
-84.82%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84฿1,532
$49.37$49.37
-5.12%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿289
$14.20$14.20
-37.75%
Cappuccino
$3.00฿98.0
$6.17$6.17
-51.38%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74฿24.25
$3.59$3.59
-79.39%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.95
$3.35$3.35
-88.96%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.44฿79.8
$9.20$9.20
-73.48%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61฿118
$9.03$9.03
-60.02%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Dublin, CA
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿73.9
$1.32$1.32
71.21%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84฿60.1
$4.28$4.28
-57.01%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.24฿73.4
$3.16$3.16
-29.11%
Eggs
$2.32฿75.7
$5.34$5.34
-56.55%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.67฿643
$6.43$6.43
205.91%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿119
$10.94$10.94
-66.64%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.10฿428
$12.43$12.43
5.39%
Apples(1kg)
$3.39฿111
$4.74$4.74
-28.48%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64฿53.7
$3.81$3.81
-56.96%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿79.0
$4.35$4.35
-44.60%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿66.4
$4.48$4.48
-54.69%
Potato(1kg)
$1.56฿50.9
$3.00$3.00
-48.00%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿48.94
$2.16$2.16
-30.56%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02฿33.50
$2.03$2.03
-49.75%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.00
$2.72$2.72
-81.99%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45฿145
$8.99$8.99
-50.50%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.88฿617
$14.81$14.81
27.48%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$2.07$2.07
-14.01%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75฿90.1
$2.26$2.26
21.68%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Dublin, CA
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.40฿45.81
$2.02$2.02
-30.69%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.48฿376
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.12฿102
$4.39$4.39
-28.93%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00฿32.67
$1.86$1.86
-46.24%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.09฿461
$30.43$30.43
-53.70%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35฿44.19
$1.22$1.22
10.66%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2K฿888.9K
$29.6K$29.6K
-8.01%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$26.2K$26.2K
25.77%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Dublin, CA
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125฿4,087
$74.8$74.8
67.11%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿444
$38.65$38.65
-64.89%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52฿606
$64.0$64.0
-71.07%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Dublin, CA
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.5฿2,010
$42.99$42.99
43.01%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84฿551
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.19฿300
$17.94$17.94
-48.77%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Dublin, CA
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$698฿22.8K
$1,162$1,162
-39.90%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6K฿509.9K
$24.0K$24.0K
-35.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Dublin, CA
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8฿1,889
$57.0$57.0
1.30%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24฿1,152
$40.49$40.49
-12.97%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,699
$78.8$78.8
43.54%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4฿2,825
$79.9$79.9
8.14%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Dublin, CA
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$616฿20.1K
$1,625$1,625
-62.09%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446฿14.6K
$1,327$1,327
-66.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,048฿67.0K
$2,654$2,654
-22.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿48.8K
$2,249$2,249
-33.66%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,779฿123.6K
$2,669$2,669
41.56%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,649฿86.6K
$2,354$2,354
12.51%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Dublin, CA
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$524฿17.1K
$5,643$5,643
-90.72%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
6.67
-20.09%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Last update for Dublin, CA: April 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $1,625 in Dublin, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Dublin, CA pays 977% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $49.00 in Dublin, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $386 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.
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 Dublin, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Dublin, CA?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 106% lower than in Dublin, CA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Phuket or Dublin, CA?
On paper, Dublin, CA earns 977% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Phuket vs Dublin, CA?
Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $1,625 in Dublin, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Phuket and Dublin, CA?
Childcare runs $698 in Phuket versus $1,162 in Dublin, CA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Phuket vs Dublin, CA?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $49.00 in Dublin, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Phuket or Dublin, CA?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,532 in Dublin, CA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Dublin, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Phuket or Dublin, CA?
Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,232 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.
How safe is Phuket compared to Dublin, CA?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Dublin, CA are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 106% less than in Dublin, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.