Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Dushanbe Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Dushanbe

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $789 in Dushanbe, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $1,206 in Dushanbe, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $1,624 in Dushanbe, rent included.

Phuket costs about 60% more than Dushanbe, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Dushanbe are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Dushanbe 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$5.80 TJS 53.6

-18.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$15.03 TJS 139

201.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$8.70 TJS 80.4

-3.10%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$2.06 TJS 19.07

42.23%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.67 TJS 6.18

2.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.32 TJS 2.98

15.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.16 TJS 10.70

107.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.00 TJS 18.49

86.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$0.98 TJS 9.08

127.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$0.57 TJS 5.29

221.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.91 TJS 17.69

13.61%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$1.79 TJS 16.55

23.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$8.98 TJS 83.0

119.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$4.58 TJS 42.36

-20.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$9.09 TJS 84.0

48.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$1.67 TJS 15.44

96.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$2.62 TJS 24.18

-38.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$2.55 TJS 23.56

-5.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.28 TJS 11.83

62.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$0.74 TJS 6.83

106.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$0.58 TJS 5.36

155.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.83 TJS 7.69

19.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.63 TJS 5.84

-19.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$2.46 TJS 22.71

79.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$10.33 TJS 95.5

87.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.50 TJS 13.84

18.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$2.25 TJS 20.76

20.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.24 TJS 2.21

470.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$10.06 TJS 93.0

13.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$1.00 TJS 9.26

202.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$0.27 TJS 2.47

266.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$6.09 TJS 56.3

131.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$0.97 TJS 8.94

40.21%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$18.1K TJS 167.7K

55.41%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$25.8K TJS 238.3K

27.62%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$50.7 TJS 468

140.23%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$13.45 TJS 124

0.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$24.21 TJS 224

-24.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$40.00 TJS 370

50.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$8.91 TJS 82.4

92.37%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$4.89 TJS 45.22

77.71%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$102 TJS 941

581.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$14.4K TJS 132.9K

9.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$30.80 TJS 285

93.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$38.42 TJS 355

-9.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$74.9 TJS 692

53.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$55.2 TJS 510

51.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$439 TJS 4,056

39.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$230 TJS 2,129

89.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$733 TJS 6,778

185.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$419 TJS 3,873

260.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$1,257 TJS 11.6K

198.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$711 TJS 6,570

268.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$478 TJS 4,417

6.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

25.75

-79.30%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Dushanbe: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $439 in Dushanbe. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 6% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket versus $15.00 in Dushanbe. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $195 – making Dushanbe 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 Dushanbe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 60%, 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 $1,898 per month in Phuket and $1,183 in Dushanbe. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dushanbe, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $693 per month in Phuket and $102 in Dushanbe. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 50% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Dushanbe, where all-in costs run around $789, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Dushanbe it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Dushanbe – 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 Dushanbe. 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.