Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Nam Dinh Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Nam Dinh

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $728 in Nam Dinh, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $1,163 in Nam Dinh, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $1,597 in Nam Dinh, rent included.

Phuket costs about 74% more than Nam Dinh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Nam Dinh are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Nam Dinh 46% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Nam Dinh
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70 ฿154
$1.98 ₫51.9K
137.37%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37 ฿1,483
$26.94 ₫708.2K
68.41%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.43 ฿276
$4.66 ₫122.6K
80.90%
Cappuccino
$2.93 ฿95.7
$1.88 ₫49.5K
55.85%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69 ฿22.42
$0.48 ₫12.7K
43.75%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 ฿12.00
$0.27 ₫7,166
37.04%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.41 ฿78.7
$0.93 ₫24.5K
159.14%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72 ฿122
$1.91 ₫50.1K
94.76%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Nam Dinh
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.23 ฿73.0
$1.43 ₫37.6K
55.94%
White Bread (500g)
$1.83 ฿59.9
$0.91 ₫24.0K
101.10%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.17 ฿70.9
$0.91 ₫24.0K
138.46%
Eggs
$2.21 ฿72.4
$1.55 ₫40.8K
42.58%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.74 ฿645
$8.91 ₫234.2K
121.55%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.63 ฿119
$3.72 ₫97.8K
-2.42%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.53 ฿442
$9.75 ₫256.3K
38.77%
Apples (1kg)
$3.28 ฿107
$3.34 ₫87.7K
-1.80%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 ฿52.7
$1.07 ₫28.0K
50.47%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.41 ฿78.7
$1.63 ₫42.9K
47.85%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿68.1
$1.12 ₫29.4K
85.71%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 ฿49.97
$1.03 ₫27.2K
48.54%
Onion (1kg)
$1.48 ฿48.41
$1.02 ₫26.7K
45.10%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.99 ฿32.32
$0.55 ₫14.6K
80.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 ฿16.68
$0.56 ₫14.8K
-8.93%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41 ฿144
$1.38 ₫36.2K
219.57%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.38 ฿634
$13.35 ₫350.8K
45.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 ฿58.1
$0.96 ₫25.3K
85.42%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71 ฿88.7
$1.77 ₫46.5K
53.11%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Nam Dinh
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.37 ฿44.83
$0.34 ₫9,057
302.94%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.39 ฿372
$6.64 ₫174.5K
71.54%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿98.7
$0.80 ₫21.0K
277.50%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.99 ฿32.51
$0.45 ₫11.7K
120.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.10 ฿461
$1.67 ₫43.8K
744.31%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.36 ฿44.55
$0.90 ₫23.6K
51.11%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K ฿921.9K
$37.8K ₫994.8M
-25.47%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K ฿1.1M
$31.4K ₫824.7M
4.89%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Nam Dinh
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$122 ฿3,978
$78.1 ₫2.1M
55.83%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57 ฿444
$5.17 ₫135.9K
162.48%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31 ฿599
$8.62 ₫226.5K
112.41%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Nam Dinh
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.2 ฿1,969
$21.58 ₫567.4K
179.05%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14 ฿560
$7.64 ₫200.9K
124.35%
Cinema Ticket
$8.69 ฿284
$3.85 ₫101.3K
125.71%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Nam Dinh
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$693 ฿22.7K
$270 ₫7.1M
157.00%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.7K ฿512.8K
$11.5K ₫303.1M
36.08%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Nam Dinh
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5 ฿1,946
$44.36 ₫1.2M
34.20%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77 ฿1,137
$23.33 ₫613.3K
49.04%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 ฿3,746
$88.9 ₫2.3M
28.98%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3 ฿2,723
$71.7 ₫1.9M
16.25%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Nam Dinh
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$613 ฿20.0K
$356 ₫9.3M
72.48%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$437 ฿14.3K
$248 ₫6.5M
75.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,094 ฿68.5K
$678 ₫17.8M
208.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,509 ฿49.3K
$475 ₫12.5M
218.03%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,749 ฿122.6K
$3,300 ₫86.7M
13.63%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,616 ฿85.5K
$1,496 ₫39.3M
74.81%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Nam Dinh
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$508 ฿16.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.33
9.1
-41.43%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Nam Dinh: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $356 in Nam Dinh. 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 $27.00 in Nam Dinh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $192 – making Nam Dinh 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 Nam Dinh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nam Dinh cheaper than Phuket?
Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 74%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $1,092 in Nam Dinh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Nam Dinh, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Phuket vs Nam Dinh?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,265 in Phuket and $728 in Nam Dinh. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 72% less in Nam Dinh. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Nam Dinh?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Nam Dinh, where all-in costs run around $728, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Nam Dinh it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Phuket or Nam Dinh more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Nam Dinh – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Nam Dinh?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Nam Dinh. 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.

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