Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Dubrovnik

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,207 a month against $1,979 in Dubrovnik, rent and utilities included – about $9,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,207
/mo nomad
Dubrovnik
🇭🇷 Croatia
$1,979
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Dubrovnik

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

A single person spends $1,207 per month in Phuket vs $1,979 in Dubrovnik, rent included.

  • Phuket $1,207
  • Dubrovnik $1,979

A couple spends around $2,037 per month in Phuket vs $2,933 in Dubrovnik, rent included.

  • Phuket $2,037
  • Dubrovnik $2,933

A family of three spends $2,867 per month in Phuket vs $3,886 in Dubrovnik, rent included.

  • Phuket $2,867
  • Dubrovnik $3,886

Phuket is about 39% cheaper than Dubrovnik, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Phuket sits 11% below the global median, while Dubrovnik is 47% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Dubrovnik
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.58 ฿153
$19.49 €17.34
-76.50%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.48 ฿1,086
$77.3 €68.8
-57.98%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.55 ฿286
$12.71 €11.30
-32.73%
Cappuccino
$2.72 ฿91.0
$4.21 €3.74
-35.39%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94 ฿31.25
$4.50 €4.01
-79.11%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.39
$4.49 €3.99
-89.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.59 ฿86.6
$5.45 €4.85
-52.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.83 ฿128
$7.98 €7.10
-52.01%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Dubrovnik
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.74 ฿58.1
$1.08 €0.96
61.11%
White Bread (500g)
$1.43 ฿47.82
$1.21 €1.07
18.18%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.53 ฿51.0
$2.30 €2.05
-33.48%
Eggs
$2.17 ฿72.7
$4.18 €3.72
-48.09%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.15 ฿640
$9.90 €8.81
93.43%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿110
$8.96 €7.97
-63.17%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.14 ฿372
$9.60 €8.54
16.04%
Apples (1kg)
$2.95 ฿98.5
$1.77 €1.58
66.67%
Banana (1kg)
$1.68 ฿56.1
$1.36 €1.21
23.53%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.30 ฿76.8
$1.70 €1.51
35.29%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.13 ฿71.3
$2.74 €2.44
-22.26%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 ฿51.1
$0.86 €0.77
77.91%
Onion (1kg)
$1.36 ฿45.55
$0.91 €0.81
49.45%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 ฿37.44
$1.10 €0.98
1.82%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 ฿18.24
$1.25 €1.11
-56.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26 ฿142
$5.36 €4.76
-20.52%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.19 ฿608
$4.41 €3.92
312.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.74 ฿58.2
$1.32 €1.18
31.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.79 ฿93.3
$2.88 €2.56
-3.12%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Dubrovnik
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.22 ฿74.1
$2.83 €2.51
-21.55%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.06 ฿737
$54.6 €48.53
-59.57%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.91 ฿97.3
$4.41 €3.92
-34.01%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.01 ฿33.79
$1.22 €1.08
-17.21%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.83 ฿128
$7.40 €6.58
-48.24%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.49 ฿49.85
$1.80 €1.60
-17.22%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.7K ฿891.6K
$25.9K €23.0K
2.99%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿892.7K
$25.5K €22.7K
4.78%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Dubrovnik
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$99.4 ฿3,321
$178 €158
-44.02%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.28 ฿377
$22.58 €20.09
-50.04%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.36 ฿580
$42.34 €37.66
-59.00%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Dubrovnik
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.3 ฿1,747
$70.1 €62.4
-25.43%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.85 ฿362
$23.39 €20.81
-53.61%
Cinema Ticket
$7.57 ฿253
$8.00 €7.12
-5.37%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Dubrovnik
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$558 ฿18.7K
$90.6 €80.6
516.32%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.5K ฿383.9K
$6,922 €6,157
65.97%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Dubrovnik
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.9 ฿2,102
$73.3 €65.2
-14.17%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.58 ฿955
$27.46 €24.43
4.08%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.1 ฿3,213
$66.3 €58.9
45.12%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.1 ฿2,943
$78.4 €69.7
12.38%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Dubrovnik
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$729 ฿24.4K
$1,442 €1,283
-49.43%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$460 ฿15.4K
$906 €806
-49.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,096 ฿70.0K
$1,964 €1,747
6.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,222 ฿40.8K
$1,442 €1,283
-15.25%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,459 ฿115.6K
$7,912 €7,038
-56.28%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,489 ฿83.2K
$4,158 €3,698
-40.14%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Dubrovnik
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$493 ฿16.5K
$1,437 €1,279
-65.70%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
3.79
46.97%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 13, 2026

Last update for Dubrovnik: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$460
Dubrovnik
$906 96.9% $446
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$268
Dubrovnik
$235 12.3% $33
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$128
Dubrovnik
$242 89.4% $114
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$124
Dubrovnik
$110 11% $14
Eating Out
Phuket
$121
Dubrovnik
$324 167% $202
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$67
Dubrovnik
$86 27.7% $19
Getting Around
Phuket
$39
Dubrovnik
$76 96.4% $37

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $729 in Phuket versus $1,442 in Dubrovnik. 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 192% higher in Dubrovnik, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $77.0 in Dubrovnik. Groceries tell a different story – $268 in Phuket vs $235 in Dubrovnik – so Dubrovnik wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇭🇷 Dubrovnik
🕒 Local time
09:50 9:50 AM
04:50 4:50 AM
5 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
41,562
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Dubrovnik 8,620 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Dubrovnik

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 Dubrovnik: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Phuket and in Dubrovnik compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,207 in Phuket, $1,979 in Dubrovnik – roughly 64% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Phuket compared to Dubrovnik?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,811 per month in Phuket and $2,969 in Dubrovnik. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Phuket and Dubrovnik?
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.
How do commuting costs compare in Phuket and in Dubrovnik?
Public transport costs about 147% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Phuket and Dubrovnik?
Kindergarten costs $558 per month in Phuket and $90.6 in Dubrovnik. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,207, than in Dubrovnik at $1,979. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dubrovnik it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Phuket and Dubrovnik?
It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,207 in Phuket to $1,979 in Dubrovnik. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Phuket or Dubrovnik safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Phuket and Dubrovnik?
If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Dubrovnik makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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