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: $1,232 in Phuket versus $650 in Duma.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,027 in Duma.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $1,404 in Duma.

Living in Phuket is roughly 89% more expensive than in Duma, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Duma 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$10.11 SYP 1,228

-56.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$44.95 SYP 5,461

-28.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$6.82 SYP 829

30.94%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$3.63 SYP 441

-20.11%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$2.28 SYP 277

-61.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.84 SYP 103

-42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$1.88 SYP 229

25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$2.98 SYP 362

24.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.06 SYP 129

76.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$0.41 SYP 50.2

258.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.64 SYP 200

-5.49%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$1.57 SYP 191

33.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$3.98 SYP 483

392.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$5.63 SYP 684

-39.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$13.62 SYP 1,655

-16.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$1.07 SYP 130

178.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.41 SYP 171

19.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$1.15 SYP 139

92.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$1.05 SYP 128

105.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$0.79 SYP 95.8

92.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$0.79 SYP 96.6

69.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$0.44 SYP 53.4

156.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.66 SYP 80.2

-16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$2.80 SYP 341

52.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$6.11 SYP 742

212.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$1.09 SYP 133

63.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$2.83 SYP 344

-1.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$1.01 SYP 123

200.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$1.49 SYP 182

-31.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$7.82 SYP 950

-50.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$3.67 SYP 446

-59.40%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$15.1K SYP 1.8M

75.99%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$19.0K SYP 2.3M

42.08%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$141 SYP 17.1K

-27.31%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$9.38 SYP 1,139

20.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$45.81 SYP 5,566

-62.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$5.46 SYP 664

40.84%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$65.5 SYP 7,959

755.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$1,790 SYP 217.5K

542.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$29.12 SYP 3,538

116.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$40.26 SYP 4,891

-26.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$59.6 SYP 7,238

64.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$57.2 SYP 6,949

54.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

14.25

-60.91%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Duma: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $45.00 in Duma. Groceries flip the comparison at $274 vs $169, with Duma cheaper for home cooking.

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 89% 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 $1,847 in Phuket and $975 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 62% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $650 in Duma – a 89% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $650 in Duma versus $1,232 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 $650 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 89% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.