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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $1,050 in Duncans, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,089 per month in Phuket vs $1,731 in Duncans, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Phuket vs $2,411 in Duncans, rent included.

Phuket costs about 20% more than Duncans, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Phuket and Duncans are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Duncans 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$16.03 JMD 2,518

-70.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$76.8 JMD 12.1K

-58.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$8.82 JMD 1,385

-1.59%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$5.21 JMD 819

-44.34%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$1.25 JMD 196

-32.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.68 JMD 107

-27.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$2.17 JMD 341

14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$3.09 JMD 486

20.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$4.14 JMD 650

-54.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$3.68 JMD 578

-61.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$1.65 JMD 260

-1.82%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$3.47 JMD 544

-35.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$11.35 JMD 1,782

74.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$6.16 JMD 967

-43.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$10.14 JMD 1,592

12.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$6.19 JMD 972

-53.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$3.96 JMD 622

-56.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$7.42 JMD 1,165

-69.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$3.10 JMD 488

-31.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$3.29 JMD 517

-55.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$2.69 JMD 422

-47.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$3.05 JMD 479

-63.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$1.44 JMD 227

-58.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$9.50 JMD 1,492

-54.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$11.16 JMD 1,753

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$2.85 JMD 447

-36.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$4.09 JMD 643

-27.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$1.23 JMD 193

152.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$3.07 JMD 483

-64.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$6.41 JMD 1,007

-39.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$1.41 JMD 221

1.42%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$44.9K JMD 7.1M

-38.14%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$32.6K JMD 5.1M

-17.27%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$177 JMD 27.8K

-40.85%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$29.71 JMD 4,666

-61.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$52.2 JMD 8,196

-66.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$13.21 JMD 2,075

-41.11%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$363 JMD 57.0K

58.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$8,328 JMD 1.3M

39.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$23.73 JMD 3,727

168.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$31.30 JMD 4,916

-7.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$77.6 JMD 12.2K

23.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$104 JMD 16.3K

-13.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

9.45

-41.06%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Duncans: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $77.0 in Duncans. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $275 vs $383 – 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 20%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $1,576 in Duncans. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,265 in Phuket and $1,050 in Duncans. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $576 per month in Phuket and $363 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 $1,050, than in Phuket at $1,265. 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.