Cost of Living Comparison Between Ahmadi and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Ahmadi and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,326 per month in Ahmadi vs $1,261 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,078 per month in Ahmadi vs $2,286 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,829 per month in Ahmadi vs $3,310 in Phuket, rent included.

Ahmadi costs about 5% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ahmadi and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Ahmadi 1% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.94 KWD 1.52

$4.56 ฿149

8.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.56 KWD 7.55

$46.63 ฿1,519

-47.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.25 KWD 2.53

$8.47 ฿276

-2.60%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 KWD 0.74

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 KWD 0.49

Cappuccino

$5.85 KWD 1.80

$3.03 ฿98.6

93.07%

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

$0.51 KWD 0.16

$0.69 ฿22.45

-26.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 KWD 0.10

$0.37 ฿11.92

-13.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 KWD 0.41

$2.18 ฿71.0

-38.07%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 KWD 0.26

$1.90 ฿62.0

-55.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 KWD 0.49

$2.20 ฿71.6

-27.27%

Eggs

$1.34 KWD 0.41

$2.22 ฿72.4

-39.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.32 KWD 1.02

$19.99 ฿651

-83.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.98 KWD 1.53

$3.66 ฿119

36.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.29 KWD 3.16

$13.25 ฿432

-22.34%

Apples (1kg)

$1.50 KWD 0.46

$3.23 ฿105

-53.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 KWD 0.46

$1.70 ฿55.3

-12.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.17 KWD 0.36

$2.39 ฿78.0

-51.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.79 KWD 0.24

$2.08 ฿67.7

-62.02%

Potato (1kg)

$0.47 KWD 0.14

$1.59 ฿51.8

-70.44%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 KWD 0.16

$1.48 ฿48.31

-65.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 KWD 0.39

$1.03 ฿33.54

24.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 KWD 0.15

$0.52 ฿16.83

-7.69%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.17 KWD 0.97

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 KWD 0.33

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 KWD 0.41

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.01 KWD 0.93

$4.25 ฿138

-29.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 KWD 0.31

$1.36 ฿44.32

-25.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.80 KWD 9.16

$11.36 ฿370

162.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 KWD 0.98

$3.14 ฿102

1.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.32 KWD 1.02

$1.04 ฿33.74

219.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.31 KWD 5.01

$13.77 ฿448

18.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.36 KWD 0.11

$1.34 ฿43.79

-73.13%

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

$21.0K KWD 6,440

$27.7K ฿901.4K

-24.25%

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

$18.2K KWD 5,595

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-46.22%

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

$61.7 KWD 18.96

$124 ฿4,025

-50.05%

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

$16.22 KWD 4.98

$13.52 ฿440

19.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.27 KWD 8.07

$18.69 ฿609

40.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$132 KWD 40.62

$61.8 ฿2,013

113.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$49.40 KWD 15.17

$17.25 ฿562

186.38%

Cinema Ticket

$11.31 KWD 3.47

$9.14 ฿298

23.74%

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

$96.7 KWD 29.69

$703 ฿22.9K

-86.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,592 KWD 2,025

$15.9K ฿517.0K

-58.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.62 KWD 13.09

$59.5 ฿1,937

-28.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.20 KWD 12.96

$35.07 ฿1,142

20.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.8 KWD 26.98

$115 ฿3,754

-23.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.3 KWD 24.67

$84.1 ฿2,737

-4.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 KWD 254

$619 ฿20.1K

33.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$638 KWD 196

$433 ฿14.1K

47.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,933 KWD 594

$2,062 ฿67.2K

-6.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,242 KWD 382

$1,511 ฿49.2K

-17.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,196 KWD 982

$3,646 ฿118.7K

-12.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,543 KWD 781

$2,626 ฿85.5K

-3.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,493 KWD 1,073

$507 ฿16.5K

588.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

5.33

-15.57%

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

Last update for Ahmadi: June 6, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $827 in Ahmadi versus $619 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 589% higher in Ahmadi, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Ahmadi versus $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $138 vs $293 – making Ahmadi 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

Ahmadi vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ahmadi is pricier by about 5%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,989 per month in Ahmadi and $1,892 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $96.7 per month in Ahmadi and $703 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 113% cheaper in Ahmadi – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,261, than in Ahmadi at $1,326. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ahmadi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Phuket – 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 Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ahmadi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.