Cost of Living Comparison Between Abha and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Abha and Phuket

Name: Phuket
Address: Phuket, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,040 per month in Abha vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,766 per month in Abha vs $2,054 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,492 per month in Abha vs $2,876 in Phuket, rent included.

Abha is about 16% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Abha and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Abha 24% lower, Phuket 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.25 SAR 19.70

$4.41 ฿147

19.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 SAR 194

$32.26 ฿1,074

59.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.51 SAR 28.21

$8.93 ฿297

-15.90%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 SAR 5.89

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 SAR 4.88

Cappuccino

$3.21 SAR 12.05

$2.90 ฿96.4

10.69%

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

$0.59 SAR 2.22

$0.88 ฿29.30

-32.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 SAR 0.82

$0.48 ฿16.01

-54.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 SAR 6.17

$1.87 ฿62.1

-12.30%

White Bread (500g)

$0.61 SAR 2.28

$1.47 ฿48.81

-58.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 SAR 7.22

$1.55 ฿51.7

23.87%

Eggs

$3.23 SAR 12.12

$2.10 ฿70.0

53.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.55 SAR 17.08

$19.59 ฿652

-76.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.35 SAR 27.62

$3.42 ฿114

114.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.53 SAR 69.6

$11.38 ฿379

62.83%

Apples (1kg)

$1.99 SAR 7.46

$2.98 ฿99.3

-33.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 SAR 7.38

$1.68 ฿56.1

16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 SAR 5.86

$2.21 ฿73.5

-29.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 SAR 6.14

$2.16 ฿72.0

-24.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 SAR 8.51

$1.52 ฿50.8

48.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 SAR 4.60

$1.34 ฿44.55

-8.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.37 SAR 1.40

$1.13 ฿37.57

-67.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 SAR 1.89

$0.55 ฿18.19

-9.09%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.49 SAR 16.86

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 SAR 4.43

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 SAR 5.68

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.55 SAR 35.86

$4.26 ฿142

124.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 SAR 3.17

$2.23 ฿74.2

-62.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.69 SAR 134

$22.74 ฿757

56.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 SAR 11.31

$3.03 ฿101

-0.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.69 SAR 10.10

$1.02 ฿34.06

163.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.36 SAR 50.2

$3.89 ฿130

243.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.40

$1.49 ฿49.63

-57.05%

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

$45.4K SAR 170.6K

$26.6K ฿884.9K

70.90%

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

$19.2K SAR 72.2K

$27.0K ฿899.8K

-28.91%

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

$89.6 SAR 337

$102 ฿3,411

-12.54%

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

$36.82 SAR 138

$11.33 ฿377

224.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.0 SAR 286

$17.40 ฿579

336.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$91.7 SAR 344

$52.1 ฿1,734

76.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.76 SAR 172

$11.07 ฿369

313.37%

Cinema Ticket

$16.08 SAR 60.4

$7.69 ฿256

109.10%

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

$211 SAR 792

$561 ฿18.7K

-62.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,113 SAR 15.4K

$11.5K ฿383.0K

-64.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.18 SAR 113

$63.0 ฿2,098

-52.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$71.3 SAR 268

$29.52 ฿983

141.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.1 SAR 365

$98.0 ฿3,263

-0.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.4 SAR 245

$88.5 ฿2,946

-26.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$312 SAR 1,173

$738 ฿24.6K

-57.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$246 SAR 925

$482 ฿16.1K

-48.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$541 SAR 2,032

$2,107 ฿70.1K

-74.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$567 SAR 2,130

$1,226 ฿40.8K

-53.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$920 SAR 3,457

$3,617 ฿120.4K

-74.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,340 SAR 5,034

$2,603 ฿86.7K

-48.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,258 SAR 8,480

$494 ฿16.4K

357.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

7.72%

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

Last update for Abha: September 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $312 in Abha versus $738 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 357% higher in Abha, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Abha versus $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $202 in Abha vs $274 in Phuket – so Abha 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

Abha vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 18% more than Abha, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,560 per month in Abha and $1,847 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 35% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Abha and $32.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Abha, where all-in costs run around $1,040, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Abha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Abha costs $1,040 versus $1,232 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Abha. 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.