Cost of Living Comparison Between 'ayn-al-'arab and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between 'ayn-al-'arab and Phuket

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿147

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,515

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿276

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿100

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

$0.68 ฿22.07

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.75

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿78.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿118

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.1

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.0

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿72.5

Eggs

$2.24 ฿72.7

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿637

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿121

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿438

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿109

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿52.5

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.3

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.6

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.76

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.19

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿32.96

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.73

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿139

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿621

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿59.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.06

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿97.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.00

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿452

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿41.94

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

$28.0K ฿911.1K

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

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

$122 ฿3,964

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

$13.93 ฿453

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿613

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿1,992

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿289

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

$691 ฿22.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿525.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,150

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,685

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,698

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿116.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,060 SYP 117.2K

$2,585 ฿84.0K

-58.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for 'ayn-al-'arab: June 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026

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

'ayn-al-'arab vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Families tend to lean toward 'ayn-al-'arab – 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 'ayn-al-'arab. 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.