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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,253 per month in Phuket vs $678 in Malabo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,043 per month in Phuket vs $1,146 in Malabo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,833 per month in Phuket vs $1,613 in Malabo, rent included.

Phuket costs about 85% more than Malabo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Phuket and Malabo are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 9% lower, Malabo 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

$8.73 FCFA 4,927

-47.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.62 ฿1,072

$70.9 FCFA 40.0K

-54.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿293

$8.85 FCFA 4,994

0.56%

Cappuccino

$2.80 ฿92.2

$4.80 FCFA 2,710

-41.67%

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

$0.88 ฿28.93

$0.85 FCFA 481

3.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.08

$0.45 FCFA 256

8.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.5

$1.80 FCFA 1,015

32.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿58.7

$2.90 FCFA 1,636

-38.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.38

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.1

$1.76 FCFA 993

-10.23%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$4.00 FCFA 2,258

-46.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿655

$6.56 FCFA 3,701

203.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿113

$6.13 FCFA 3,459

-44.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿372

$7.30 FCFA 4,121

55.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿96.9

$2.45 FCFA 1,384

20.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.6

$1.74 FCFA 984

-1.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿76.4

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.33

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿44.64

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.12

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.89

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$4.40 FCFA 2,481

-2.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿605

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿61.5

$1.41 FCFA 798

32.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.0

$0.92 FCFA 519

217.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿72.9

$1.79 FCFA 1,011

24.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

$26.36 FCFA 14.9K

-13.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.6

$0.87 FCFA 491

248.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.31

$0.91 FCFA 513

17.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

$8.66 FCFA 4,887

-54.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.04

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

$27.1K ฿891.7K

$33.2K FCFA 18.7M

-18.22%

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

$27.5K ฿902.3K

$30.0K FCFA 16.9M

-8.53%

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

$103 ฿3,379

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

$10.99 ฿361

$17.67 FCFA 9,973

-37.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿576

$17.92 FCFA 10.1K

-2.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,760

$35.99 FCFA 20.3K

48.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

$14.58 FCFA 8,231

-23.18%

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

$5.42 FCFA 3,057

38.01%

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

$557 ฿18.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿389.6K

$359 FCFA 202.6K

3202.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,106

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿956

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,154

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,970

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

$232 FCFA 130.9K

115.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.7K

$348 FCFA 196.4K

500.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.7K

$291 FCFA 164.3K

315.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

$841 FCFA 474.8K

327.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

$656 FCFA 370.4K

282.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.8

-18.09%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Last update for Malabo: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Phuket versus $71.0 in Malabo. Groceries tell a different story – $273 in Phuket vs $156 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: $1,253 in Phuket, $678 in Malabo – roughly 85% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,880 per month in Phuket and $1,017 in Malabo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Public transport costs about 15% less in Malabo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 75% 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 $678, than in Phuket at $1,253. 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 $678 in Malabo to $1,253 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.