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 $1,137 per month in Abha vs $1,264 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,912 per month in Abha vs $2,256 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,687 per month in Abha vs $3,248 in Phuket, rent included.

Abha is about 10% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Abha and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Abha 15% lower, Phuket 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.28 SAR 19.84

$4.48 ฿150

17.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 SAR 202

$45.59 ฿1,525

18.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.81 SAR 29.34

$8.76 ฿293

-10.84%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 SAR 6.68

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 SAR 5.18

Cappuccino

$3.06 SAR 11.48

$2.97 ฿99.3

3.03%

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

$0.62 SAR 2.35

$0.69 ฿22.96

-10.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 SAR 0.79

$0.39 ฿13.07

-46.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 SAR 7.17

$2.15 ฿71.8

-11.16%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 SAR 1.80

$1.82 ฿60.7

-73.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 SAR 7.36

$2.18 ฿73.1

-10.09%

Eggs

$2.98 SAR 11.19

$2.25 ฿75.2

32.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.76 SAR 21.61

$20.00 ฿669

-71.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.63 SAR 32.38

$3.63 ฿121

137.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.93 SAR 63.6

$13.56 ฿453

24.85%

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 SAR 6.92

$3.24 ฿109

-43.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 SAR 6.01

$1.64 ฿54.7

-2.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.47

$2.33 ฿78.0

-37.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.76 SAR 6.60

$2.07 ฿69.3

-14.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.36 SAR 5.09

$1.55 ฿51.8

-12.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 SAR 4.76

$1.46 ฿48.67

-13.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 SAR 3.36

$0.98 ฿32.94

-9.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 SAR 2.18

$0.48 ฿16.13

20.83%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.49 SAR 16.87

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 SAR 5.45

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.20 SAR 34.53

$4.35 ฿146

111.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿621

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 SAR 3.03

$1.42 ฿47.40

-42.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.30 SAR 148

$11.57 ฿387

239.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 SAR 10.16

$3.17 ฿106

-14.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.73 SAR 10.24

$1.03 ฿34.51

165.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.29 SAR 49.88

$13.89 ฿465

-4.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.40

$1.34 ฿44.96

-52.24%

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

$24.3K SAR 91.1K

$27.8K ฿929.6K

-12.72%

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

$23.1K SAR 86.7K

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-30.80%

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

$81.8 SAR 307

$123 ฿4,116

-33.52%

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

$36.74 SAR 138

$13.77 ฿461

166.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.1 SAR 207

$18.33 ฿613

200.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$121 SAR 453

$60.7 ฿2,030

98.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.01 SAR 101

$17.16 ฿574

57.40%

Cinema Ticket

$17.89 SAR 67.2

$8.87 ฿297

101.69%

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

$236 SAR 885

$688 ฿23.0K

-65.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,226 SAR 19.6K

$15.8K ฿527.8K

-66.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.74 SAR 145

$59.3 ฿1,984

-34.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.5 SAR 253

$34.69 ฿1,160

94.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$177 SAR 666

$115 ฿3,853

53.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 SAR 339

$83.8 ฿2,802

7.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$361 SAR 1,354

$621 ฿20.8K

-41.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$267 SAR 1,002

$446 ฿14.9K

-40.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$555 SAR 2,084

$2,034 ฿68.0K

-72.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$640 SAR 2,405

$1,496 ฿50.0K

-57.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$930 SAR 3,490

$3,455 ฿115.6K

-73.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,312 SAR 4,924

$2,531 ฿84.7K

-48.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,233 SAR 8,382

$494 ฿16.5K

352.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.67

5.33

6.38%

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

Last update for Abha: July 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $361 in Abha versus $621 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 352% 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 $54.0 in Abha versus $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $205 in Abha vs $291 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 11% more than Abha, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,705 per month in Abha and $1,896 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 42% 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 $54.0 in Abha and $46.00 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 $1,137, than in Phuket at $1,264. 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 $1,137 versus $1,264 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.