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: $1,265 in Phuket versus $519 in Duma.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $796 in Duma.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,074 in Duma.

Living in Phuket is roughly 144% more expensive than Duma, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$5.98 SYP 661

-21.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$27.51 SYP 3,040

64.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$5.49 SYP 606

53.55%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$1.56 SYP 172

87.82%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$1.13 SYP 125

-38.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.69 SYP 76.0

-46.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.62 SYP 179

48.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.47 SYP 273

50.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.02 SYP 113

118.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$0.60 SYP 65.9

205.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.70 SYP 188

27.65%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$1.86 SYP 206

18.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$3.01 SYP 332

555.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$7.72 SYP 853

-52.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$11.26 SYP 1,244

20.16%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$0.88 SYP 97.0

272.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.72 SYP 190

-6.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.03 SYP 114

133.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$0.96 SYP 106

116.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$0.62 SYP 68.0

146.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$0.66 SYP 72.8

124.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.38 SYP 41.55

160.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.62 SYP 68.9

-17.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$3.02 SYP 334

46.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$5.94 SYP 656

226.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.02 SYP 112

74.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$1.84 SYP 203

47.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$0.99 SYP 109

205.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$1.23 SYP 136

-19.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$6.38 SYP 705

121.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$3.76 SYP 415

-63.83%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$18.6K SYP 2.1M

51.44%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$21.0K SYP 2.3M

56.58%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$100 SYP 11.1K

21.43%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$8.60 SYP 950

57.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$55.2 SYP 6,102

-66.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$3.02 SYP 334

187.75%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$43.19 SYP 4,773

1505.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$1,854 SYP 204.8K

746.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$29.12 SYP 3,218

104.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$25.61 SYP 2,830

35.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$45.12 SYP 4,986

153.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$56.0 SYP 6,184

48.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Duma: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $28.00 in Duma for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $168 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 144% 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 $1,898 in Phuket and $778 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 74% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $519 in Duma – a 144% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $519 in Duma versus $1,265 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 $519 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 144% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.