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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,247 per month in Phuket vs $894 in Duncans, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,276 per month in Phuket vs $1,423 in Duncans, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,306 per month in Phuket vs $1,952 in Duncans, rent included.

Phuket costs about 39% more than Duncans, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Duncans are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 7% lower, Duncans 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.59 ฿147

$7.38 JMD 1,168

-37.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.83 ฿1,500

$61.7 JMD 9,765

-24.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.70 ฿279

$8.53 JMD 1,350

1.99%

Cappuccino

$2.92 ฿93.7

$4.38 JMD 693

-33.33%

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

$0.68 ฿21.90

$1.36 JMD 215

-50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿12.69

$0.74 JMD 118

-45.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 ฿80.3

$2.47 JMD 391

1.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿122

$3.11 JMD 492

22.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ฿69.2

$4.28 JMD 677

-49.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 ฿60.3

$3.63 JMD 574

-48.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 ฿69.1

$1.54 JMD 244

40.26%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿71.1

$3.46 JMD 548

-35.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.57 ฿627

$10.88 JMD 1,721

79.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.80 ฿122

$6.33 JMD 1,003

-39.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.41 ฿430

$7.76 JMD 1,228

72.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 ฿104

$6.04 JMD 956

-46.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿51.6

$3.09 JMD 488

-47.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 ฿73.9

$4.18 JMD 662

-44.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 ฿65.9

$3.07 JMD 486

-32.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 ฿51.4

$2.10 JMD 333

-23.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 ฿46.23

$2.02 JMD 320

-28.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿32.99

$3.11 JMD 492

-66.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.38

$1.44 JMD 229

-66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.50 ฿144

$9.00 JMD 1,424

-50.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.18 ฿614

$11.48 JMD 1,817

67.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿58.4

$2.90 JMD 459

-37.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 ฿86.2

$3.04 JMD 481

-11.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.38 ฿44.13

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.76 ฿377

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿99.5

$1.07 JMD 170

190.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.16

$3.23 JMD 511

-69.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.74 ฿440

$6.28 JMD 993

118.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 ฿41.58

$1.23 JMD 195

5.69%

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

$27.4K ฿876.5K

$43.1K JMD 6.8M

-36.46%

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

$33.0K ฿1.1M

$34.2K JMD 5.4M

-3.40%

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

$125 ฿4,001

$163 JMD 25.8K

-23.27%

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

$13.74 ฿440

$22.03 JMD 3,487

-37.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.61 ฿596

$50.7 JMD 8,016

-63.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 ฿1,940

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.15 ฿549

Cinema Ticket

$9.01 ฿289

$13.02 JMD 2,061

-30.80%

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

$698 ฿22.4K

$229 JMD 36.3K

204.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K ฿516.2K

$2,435 JMD 385.3K

561.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.2 ฿1,897

$26.13 JMD 4,135

126.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.86 ฿1,117

$25.25 JMD 3,996

38.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 ฿3,659

$71.0 JMD 11.2K

60.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 ฿2,749

$76.2 JMD 12.1K

12.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿19.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,075 ฿66.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿48.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,764 ฿120.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,694 ฿86.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$528 ฿16.9K

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: April 13, 2026

Last update for Duncans: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Phuket versus $0 in Duncans. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Phuket versus $62 in Duncans. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $351 – 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 39%, 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 $1,870 per month in Phuket and $1,341 in Duncans. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,247 in Phuket and $894 in Duncans. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $698 per month in Phuket and $229 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 $894, than in Phuket at $1,247. 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.