šMonthly costs for one person with rent: $483 in Al `alamayn versus $1,270 in Phuket.
šEstimated couple costs with rent: $758 in Al `alamayn versus $2,304 in Phuket.
šMonthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,033 in Al `alamayn versus $3,339 in Phuket.
šLiving in Al `alamayn costs roughly 62% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
šBoth cities sit below the global median: Al `alamayn64% lower, Phuket5% lower.
Currency
š½ Eating Out
Al `alamayn
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.96EĀ£314
$4.66ąøæ151
27.90%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$13.66EĀ£719
$46.44ąøæ1,505
-70.59%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.05EĀ£213
$8.68ąøæ281
-53.34%
Cappuccino
$0.93EĀ£49.16
$2.95ąøæ95.5
-68.47%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35EĀ£18.15
$0.70ąøæ22.65
-50.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.11EĀ£5.78
$0.39ąøæ12.77
-71.79%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.16EĀ£61.0
$2.53ąøæ82.1
-54.15%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00EĀ£158
$3.78ąøæ122
-20.63%
š Groceries & Markets
Al `alamayn
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.99EĀ£52.3
$2.22ąøæ71.8
-55.41%
White Bread(500g)
$0.29EĀ£15.01
$1.80ąøæ58.2
-83.89%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.58EĀ£30.60
$2.19ąøæ70.8
-73.52%
Eggs
$1.48EĀ£78.0
$2.31ąøæ74.9
-35.93%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$2.41EĀ£127
$19.34ąøæ627
-87.54%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.34EĀ£228
$3.77ąøæ122
15.12%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.55EĀ£397
$13.22ąøæ428
-42.89%
Apples(1kg)
$1.34EĀ£70.5
$3.33ąøæ108
-59.76%
Banana(1kg)
$0.56EĀ£29.51
$1.65ąøæ53.4
-66.06%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.47EĀ£24.93
$2.29ąøæ74.2
-79.48%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.27EĀ£14.34
$1.99ąøæ64.4
-86.43%
Potato(1kg)
$0.33EĀ£17.19
$1.53ąøæ49.51
-78.43%
Onion(1kg)
$0.44EĀ£23.24
$1.51ąøæ49.04
-70.86%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.34EĀ£17.79
$1.03ąøæ33.30
-66.99%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.23EĀ£12.11
$0.51ąøæ16.66
-54.90%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.92EĀ£101
$4.41ąøæ143
-56.46%
Wine(Bottle)
$4.27EĀ£225
$19.41ąøæ629
-78.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36EĀ£71.6
$1.80ąøæ58.3
-24.44%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80EĀ£94.9
$2.68ąøæ86.8
-32.84%
š Getting Around
Al `alamayn
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.16EĀ£8.56
$1.43ąøæ46.37
-88.81%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.70ąøæ379
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.38EĀ£20.22
$3.04ąøæ98.4
-87.50%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.29EĀ£15.04
$1.04ąøæ33.56
-72.12%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$0.98EĀ£51.5
$13.68ąøæ443
-92.84%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.32EĀ£16.94
$1.30ąøæ42.08
-75.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.5KEĀ£1.9M
$27.9Kąøæ903.9K
27.41%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.1KEĀ£1.7M
$33.0Kąøæ1.1M
0.20%
š§¾ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Al `alamayn
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$24.46EĀ£1,287
$123ąøæ3,984
-80.11%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.84EĀ£518
$13.82ąøæ448
-28.80%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.91EĀ£837
$18.86ąøæ611
-15.64%
š Sport & Entertainment
Al `alamayn
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$21.99EĀ£1,157
$61.2ąøæ1,981
-64.04%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.81ąøæ545
-
Cinema Ticket
$2.91EĀ£153
$8.87ąøæ287
-67.19%
š§ø Childcare & Education
Al `alamayn
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$32.53EĀ£1,711
$696ąøæ22.6K
-95.33%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$1,841EĀ£96.8K
$16.1Kąøæ520.3K
-88.54%
šš Clothing & Footwear
Al `alamayn
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$17.98EĀ£946
$59.3ąøæ1,921
-69.67%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.35EĀ£2,280
$34.85ąøæ1,129
24.39%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$114EĀ£6,000
$113ąøæ3,667
0.77%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$75.0EĀ£3,943
$85.1ąøæ2,756
-11.88%
š Accommodation & Living
Al `alamayn
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$191EĀ£10.0K
$615ąøæ19.9K
-69.04%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$98.6EĀ£5,188
$448ąøæ14.5K
-78.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$309EĀ£16.2K
$2,085ąøæ67.6K
-85.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$181EĀ£9,515
$1,496ąøæ48.5K
-87.91%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$819EĀ£43.1K
$3,734ąøæ121.0K
-78.06%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$462EĀ£24.3K
$2,662ąøæ86.2K
-82.63%
šµ Salaries & Financials
Al `alamayn
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$534ąøæ17.3K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
20
5.33
275.23%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input ā minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Al `alamayn: April 22, 2026
Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026
Cost Breakdown
š A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $191 in Al `alamayn and $615 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
šDining out: $14 in Al `alamayn vs $46 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $111 vs $291 per month, with Al `alamayn cheaper across the board.
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
Al `alamayn vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Al `alamayn?
Al `alamayn is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 163% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $725 in Al `alamayn and $1,904 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Al `alamayn and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $191 in Al `alamayn versus $615 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Al `alamayn and Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 163% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Al `alamayn vs Phuket?
All in, you'll spend $483 per month in Al `alamayn versus $1,270 in Phuket ā a 163% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Al `alamayn or Phuket?
At $483 in Al `alamayn versus $1,270 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al `alamayn but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Al `alamayn the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Al `alamayn or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Al `alamayn is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Al `alamayn or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Al `alamayn and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Al `alamayn gentler on the wallet ā expenses run 163% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Al `alamayn vs other spots: cost of living compared