Cost of Living Comparison Between 'ali and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between 'ali and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $835 in 'ali versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,311 in 'ali versus $2,089 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,786 in 'ali versus $2,913 in Phuket.

Living in 'ali costs roughly 34% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: 'ali 39% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.70 BHD 2.53

$4.66 ฿154

43.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 BHD 20.28

$32.22 ฿1,065

67.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.53 BHD 2.84

$8.68 ฿287

-13.25%

Cappuccino

$4.84 BHD 1.83

$2.90 ฿95.8

66.90%

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

$0.83 BHD 0.31

$0.84 ฿27.89

-1.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 BHD 0.11

$0.49 ฿16.16

-38.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.48 BHD 2.44

$2.48 ฿82.0

161.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.97 BHD 3.76

$3.73 ฿123

167.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 BHD 0.56

$1.89 ฿62.3

-21.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 BHD 0.40

$1.41 ฿46.54

-24.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 BHD 0.87

$1.62 ฿53.6

41.98%

Eggs

$2.33 BHD 0.88

$2.24 ฿74.1

4.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.71 BHD 3.28

$19.84 ฿656

-56.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.42 BHD 2.42

$3.48 ฿115

84.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.79 BHD 3.31

$11.37 ฿376

-22.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.41 BHD 0.91

$2.90 ฿95.8

-16.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 BHD 0.84

$1.72 ฿57.0

29.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 BHD 0.70

$2.27 ฿75.1

-17.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 BHD 0.52

$2.13 ฿70.4

-35.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 BHD 0.38

$1.47 ฿48.72

-31.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 BHD 0.53

$1.42 ฿46.92

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 BHD 0.58

$1.10 ฿36.25

40.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 BHD 0.32

$0.60 ฿19.76

40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.41 BHD 2.04

$4.31 ฿142

25.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.77 BHD 7.07

$18.60 ฿615

0.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.49 BHD 1.32

$1.80 ฿59.5

93.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 BHD 1.01

$2.97 ฿98.0

-10.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.17 BHD 1.95

$3.10 ฿102

66.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.47 BHD 1.31

$1.08 ฿35.56

221.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.67 BHD 5.91

$3.87 ฿128

304.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.70 BHD 0.26

$1.43 ฿47.16

-51.05%

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

$36.5K BHD 13.8K

$27.8K ฿918.0K

31.42%

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

$20.9K BHD 7,894

$27.0K ฿891.5K

-22.38%

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

$151 BHD 57.1

$105 ฿3,462

44.44%

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

$24.86 BHD 9.37

$11.39 ฿376

118.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.36 BHD 13.33

$17.54 ฿580

101.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$10.71 BHD 4.04

$7.78 ฿257

37.66%

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

$480 BHD 181

$576 ฿19.0K

-16.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K BHD 4,063

$11.6K ฿382.7K

-6.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.3 BHD 18.94

$63.6 ฿2,103

-21.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 BHD 22.05

$29.10 ฿961

101.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.6 BHD 33.77

$96.2 ฿3,179

-6.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 BHD 34.37

$90.0 ฿2,974

1.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,759 BHD 1,417

$508 ฿16.8K

640.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.21

5.57

11.49%

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

Last update for 'ali: September 7, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

'ali pays 641% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $54.0 in 'ali vs $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $251 vs $275, with 'ali cheaper for home cooking.

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

'ali vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

'ali is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 51% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 641% higher in 'ali, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $835 per month in 'ali versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 51% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $835 in 'ali versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in 'ali but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes 'ali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, 'ali is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, 'ali and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find 'ali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.