Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Duma Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Duma

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $521 in Duma.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $821 in Duma.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $1,122 in Duma.

Living in Phuket is roughly 140% more expensive than in Duma, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Duma 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$5.90 SYP 717

-22.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,554

$27.28 SYP 3,315

69.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿298

$5.34 SYP 648

65.54%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$1.57 SYP 190

94.90%

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

$0.73 ฿24.42

$1.17 SYP 142

-37.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.40

$0.73 SYP 88.8

-45.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$1.65 SYP 200

47.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$2.53 SYP 307

49.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$0.98 SYP 119

130.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$0.59 SYP 71.7

206.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.75 SYP 212

28.57%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.6

$1.92 SYP 233

17.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$3.14 SYP 382

521.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$7.79 SYP 946

-53.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$11.49 SYP 1,396

13.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$0.86 SYP 104

275.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.72 SYP 209

-5.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.2

$1.04 SYP 126

128.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.2

$0.95 SYP 116

113.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$0.61 SYP 74.5

150.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$0.66 SYP 80.5

127.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.93

$0.40 SYP 49.11

145.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.40

$0.62 SYP 75.1

-16.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$3.08 SYP 374

44.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$8.13 SYP 988

125.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$0.98 SYP 119

89.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.2

$1.85 SYP 225

44.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$0.99 SYP 120

214.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.08

$1.22 SYP 149

-14.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿475

$6.62 SYP 805

113.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.13

$3.77 SYP 458

-65.25%

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

$27.8K ฿936.0K

$18.6K SYP 2.3M

49.26%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$21.1K SYP 2.6M

57.32%

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

$122 ฿4,120

$103 SYP 12.5K

19.41%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$8.58 SYP 1,043

58.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$54.8 SYP 6,661

-65.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,035

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$3.09 SYP 375

193.53%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$42.91 SYP 5,215

1546.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.8K

$1,824 SYP 221.7K

766.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,970

$29.66 SYP 3,605

97.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,190

$25.49 SYP 3,098

38.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,885

$44.19 SYP 5,370

161.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,818

$55.6 SYP 6,753

50.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

13.75

-61.24%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Duma: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $27.00 in Duma for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $174 per month, with Duma 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 Duma: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Duma wins on cost – living expenses run 140% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Duma the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,875 in Phuket and $782 in Duma to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 66% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,250 per month in Phuket versus $521 in Duma – a 140% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $521 in Duma versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Duma but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Duma the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Duma delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $521 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Duma hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Duma are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Duma gentler on the wallet – expenses run 140% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.