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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,350 per month in Ahmadi vs $1,264 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,103 per month in Ahmadi vs $2,256 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,855 per month in Ahmadi vs $3,248 in Phuket, rent included.

Ahmadi costs about 7% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ahmadi sits 1% above the global median, while Phuket is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.89 KWD 1.52

$4.48 ฿150

9.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.57 KWD 7.63

$45.59 ฿1,525

-46.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.16 KWD 2.53

$8.76 ฿293

-6.85%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 KWD 0.74

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 KWD 0.52

Cappuccino

$5.79 KWD 1.80

$2.97 ฿99.3

94.95%

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

$0.47 KWD 0.15

$0.69 ฿22.96

-31.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 KWD 0.11

$0.39 ฿13.07

-12.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 KWD 0.41

$2.15 ฿71.8

-38.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 KWD 0.26

$1.82 ฿60.7

-53.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 KWD 0.50

$2.18 ฿73.1

-26.61%

Eggs

$1.35 KWD 0.42

$2.25 ฿75.2

-40.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.28 KWD 1.02

$20.00 ฿669

-83.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.01 KWD 1.55

$3.63 ฿121

38.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.24 KWD 3.18

$13.56 ฿453

-24.48%

Apples (1kg)

$1.44 KWD 0.45

$3.24 ฿109

-55.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 KWD 0.44

$1.64 ฿54.7

-12.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 KWD 0.35

$2.33 ฿78.0

-51.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.80 KWD 0.25

$2.07 ฿69.3

-61.35%

Potato (1kg)

$0.51 KWD 0.16

$1.55 ฿51.8

-67.10%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 KWD 0.16

$1.46 ฿48.67

-65.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 KWD 0.40

$0.98 ฿32.94

32.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 KWD 0.14

$0.48 ฿16.13

-6.25%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.13 KWD 0.97

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 KWD 0.41

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 KWD 0.93

$4.35 ฿146

-31.03%

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)

$1.01 KWD 0.31

$1.42 ฿47.40

-28.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.62 KWD 9.19

$11.57 ฿387

156.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 KWD 1.04

$3.17 ฿106

5.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.16 KWD 0.98

$1.03 ฿34.51

206.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.66 KWD 5.17

$13.89 ฿465

19.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.36 KWD 0.11

$1.34 ฿44.96

-73.13%

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

$21.5K KWD 6,660

$27.8K ฿929.6K

-22.77%

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

$18.3K KWD 5,666

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-45.30%

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

$63.2 KWD 19.62

$123 ฿4,116

-48.61%

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

$16.42 KWD 5.09

$13.77 ฿461

19.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.13 KWD 8.11

$18.33 ฿613

42.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$133 KWD 41.36

$60.7 ฿2,030

119.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$48.92 KWD 15.18

$17.16 ฿574

185.08%

Cinema Ticket

$11.23 KWD 3.49

$8.87 ฿297

26.61%

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

$97.2 KWD 30.15

$688 ฿23.0K

-85.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,510 KWD 2,020

$15.8K ฿527.8K

-58.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.07 KWD 13.05

$59.3 ฿1,984

-29.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.66 KWD 12.93

$34.69 ฿1,160

20.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 KWD 27.07

$115 ฿3,853

-24.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.1 KWD 24.85

$83.8 ฿2,802

-4.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 KWD 258

$621 ฿20.8K

33.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$644 KWD 200

$446 ฿14.9K

44.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,940 KWD 602

$2,034 ฿68.0K

-4.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,277 KWD 396

$1,496 ฿50.0K

-14.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,168 KWD 983

$3,455 ฿115.6K

-8.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,458 KWD 763

$2,531 ฿84.7K

-2.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,444 KWD 1,069

$494 ฿16.5K

597.64%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $830 in Ahmadi 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 598% 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 $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $137 vs $291 – 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 7%, 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 $2,025 per month in Ahmadi 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 Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $97.2 per month in Ahmadi and $688 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 $1,264, than in Ahmadi at $1,350. 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.