Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Malabo Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Malabo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $605 in Malabo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $1,254 in Malabo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $1,903 in Malabo, rent included.

Phuket costs about 109% more than Malabo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Malabo are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Malabo 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$69.3 FCFA 39.1K

-34.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$8.66 FCFA 4,883

-2.66%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$5.30 FCFA 2,989

-44.72%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.89 FCFA 505

-22.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.90 FCFA 510

-58.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$2.79 FCFA 1,572

-20.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$4.27 FCFA 2,409

-48.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$6.84 FCFA 3,857

188.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$6.83 FCFA 3,854

-46.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$7.15 FCFA 4,030

89.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.93 FCFA 525

6.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$1.23 FCFA 693

-58.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$4.63 FCFA 2,611

-4.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.44 FCFA 814

23.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$1.33 FCFA 753

3.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$26.60 FCFA 15.0K

-57.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$0.91 FCFA 513

231.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$0.80 FCFA 452

23.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$8.98 FCFA 5,063

57.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$33.0K FCFA 18.6M

-14.55%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$29.3K FCFA 16.5M

12.47%

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

$122 ฿3,975

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

$13.57 ฿443

$17.40 FCFA 9,811

-22.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$17.32 FCFA 9,768

5.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$35.03 FCFA 19.8K

71.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$14.89 FCFA 8,396

15.11%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$5.56 FCFA 3,138

56.29%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$359 FCFA 202.2K

4274.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$26.93 FCFA 15.2K

121.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$132 FCFA 74.2K

-73.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$89.9 FCFA 50.7K

-7.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$266 FCFA 150.0K

130.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$123 FCFA 69.4K

255.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$956 FCFA 539.2K

119.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$522 FCFA 294.3K

189.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$847 FCFA 477.4K

342.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$634 FCFA 357.8K

312.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.8

-21.62%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Malabo: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $266 in Malabo. 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 $45.00 in Phuket versus $69.0 in Malabo. Groceries tell a different story – $293 in Phuket vs $147 in Malabo – so Malabo wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Malabo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,265 in Phuket, $605 in Malabo – roughly 109% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $907 in Malabo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 134% less in Malabo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 100% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Malabo, where all-in costs run around $605, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Malabo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $605 in Malabo to $1,265 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Malabo. 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.