Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-Buraimi and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-Buraimi and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $923 in Al-Buraimi versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,351 in Al-Buraimi versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,778 in Al-Buraimi versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in Al-Buraimi costs roughly 26% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al-Buraimi 33% lower, Phuket 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.07 OMR 1.95

$4.56 ฿150

11.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.24 OMR 5.10

$32.62 ฿1,073

-59.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 OMR 3.02

$8.90 ฿293

-11.91%

Cappuccino

$4.87 OMR 1.87

$2.80 ฿92.2

73.93%

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

$0.84 OMR 0.32

$0.88 ฿28.94

-4.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 OMR 0.10

$0.49 ฿16.08

-44.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.84 OMR 4.94

$2.39 ฿78.5

437.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.96 OMR 4.99

$3.71 ฿122

249.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.31 OMR 0.89

$1.79 ฿58.8

29.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 OMR 0.48

$1.44 ฿47.40

-13.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 OMR 0.59

$1.58 ฿52.1

-3.16%

Eggs

$2.91 OMR 1.12

$2.13 ฿69.9

36.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.62 OMR 2.55

$19.92 ฿655

-66.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.56 OMR 2.14

$3.43 ฿113

62.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.90 OMR 3.42

$11.33 ฿372

-21.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 OMR 0.82

$2.95 ฿97.0

-28.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 OMR 0.70

$1.72 ฿56.6

5.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.06 OMR 0.79

$2.32 ฿76.5

-11.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 OMR 0.48

$2.08 ฿68.4

-39.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 OMR 0.47

$1.47 ฿48.34

-17.69%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 OMR 0.38

$1.36 ฿44.65

-27.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 OMR 0.33

$1.10 ฿36.13

-23.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 OMR 0.25

$0.57 ฿18.89

15.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.06 OMR 1.95

$4.27 ฿140

18.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.70 OMR 6.04

$18.42 ฿606

-14.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.68 OMR 2.19

$1.87 ฿61.5

203.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.86 OMR 3.41

$2.92 ฿96.1

203.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿73.0

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.22 OMR 15.10

$22.90 ฿753

71.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 OMR 1.26

$3.03 ฿99.6

8.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

$1.07 ฿35.32

18.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.86 OMR 3.03

$3.93 ฿129

100.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 OMR 0.25

$1.49 ฿49.06

-57.05%

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

$25.3K OMR 9,741

$27.1K ฿892.0K

-6.73%

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

$22.4K OMR 8,610

$27.5K ฿902.6K

-18.53%

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

$76.7 OMR 29.53

$103 ฿3,380

-25.38%

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

$31.38 OMR 12.08

$10.99 ฿361

185.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.1 OMR 26.59

$17.51 ฿576

294.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.0 OMR 24.63

$53.5 ฿1,760

19.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.86 OMR 3.03

$7.48 ฿246

5.08%

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

$264 OMR 102

$557 ฿18.3K

-52.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K OMR 4,121

$11.9K ฿389.7K

-9.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.0 OMR 21.56

$64.1 ฿2,107

-12.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.79 OMR 16.47

$29.07 ฿956

47.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.5 OMR 35.63

$96.0 ฿3,155

-3.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.3 OMR 37.47

$90.3 ฿2,970

7.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,575 OMR 1,376

$503 ฿16.6K

610.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.25

5.57

-5.75%

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

Last update for Al-Buraimi: August 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Al-Buraimi pays 610% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $13.00 in Al-Buraimi vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $258 vs $273 per month, with Al-Buraimi 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-Buraimi vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al-Buraimi is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets. The 36% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 610% higher in Al-Buraimi, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

A monthly transit pass in Al-Buraimi runs roughly 71% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $264 in Al-Buraimi versus $557 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $923 in Al-Buraimi versus $1,253 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al-Buraimi but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Al-Buraimi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Al-Buraimi 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.

Safety-wise, Al-Buraimi 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.

Expats usually find Al-Buraimi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.