Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Duncans Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Duncans

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $880 in Duncans, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,286 per month in Phuket vs $1,432 in Duncans, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,310 per month in Phuket vs $1,985 in Duncans, rent included.

Phuket costs about 43% more than Duncans, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Duncans are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Duncans 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

$7.56 JMD 1,189

-39.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,535

$63.2 JMD 9,945

-26.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿279

$8.58 JMD 1,349

-1.28%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿99.7

$4.32 JMD 680

-29.86%

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

$0.69 ฿22.69

$1.30 JMD 205

-46.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.04

$0.75 JMD 118

-50.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.9

$2.43 JMD 382

2.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿120

$3.16 JMD 498

15.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.8

$4.34 JMD 683

-49.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.6

$3.48 JMD 547

-45.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿72.4

$1.63 JMD 257

34.97%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿73.2

$3.59 JMD 564

-38.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿658

$11.12 JMD 1,748

79.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿121

$6.52 JMD 1,025

-43.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿436

$7.49 JMD 1,177

76.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿106

$6.09 JMD 959

-46.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.9

$3.14 JMD 494

-45.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.8

$4.18 JMD 657

-42.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$3.04 JMD 478

-31.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿52.4

$2.04 JMD 321

-22.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.83

$1.94 JMD 305

-23.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.90

$2.99 JMD 470

-65.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.01

$1.49 JMD 234

-65.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿140

$8.66 JMD 1,362

-50.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿618

$11.33 JMD 1,783

65.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.8

$2.87 JMD 451

-38.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿90.8

$3.17 JMD 498

-12.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿374

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿103

$1.07 JMD 168

193.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿34.10

$3.09 JMD 486

-66.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿453

$6.44 JMD 1,013

113.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.26

$1.29 JMD 203

3.88%

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

$27.7K ฿911.1K

$42.1K JMD 6.6M

-34.28%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$33.0K JMD 5.2M

2.61%

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

$124 ฿4,069

$163 JMD 25.6K

-24.04%

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

$13.52 ฿445

$22.31 JMD 3,509

-39.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿615

$50.5 JMD 7,942

-62.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,035

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿568

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿301

$12.92 JMD 2,032

-29.26%

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

$703 ฿23.1K

$225 JMD 35.4K

212.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿522.5K

$2,464 JMD 387.5K

544.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,958

$26.26 JMD 4,130

126.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,154

$25.90 JMD 4,074

35.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,795

$71.3 JMD 11.2K

61.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,767

$75.2 JMD 11.8K

11.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿120.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿86.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

9.15

-41.75%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Duncans: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket versus $63.0 in Duncans. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $352 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Duncans: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 43%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,892 per month in Phuket and $1,319 in Duncans. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,261 in Phuket and $880 in Duncans. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $703 per month in Phuket and $225 in Duncans. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Duncans, where all-in costs run around $880, than in Phuket at $1,261. In Duncans it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Duncans – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Duncans. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.