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: $1,009 in Al-Buraimi versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,303 in Al-Buraimi versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,596 in Al-Buraimi versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Al-Buraimi costs roughly 19% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al-Buraimi 24% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.28 OMR 2.03

$4.55 ฿153

16.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.64 OMR 9.87

$46.18 ฿1,553

-44.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.58 OMR 2.92

$8.84 ฿297

-14.25%

Cappuccino

$4.76 OMR 1.83

$3.06 ฿103

55.56%

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

$1.01 OMR 0.39

$0.73 ฿24.40

38.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 OMR 0.13

$0.40 ฿13.39

-15.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.37 OMR 4.76

$2.43 ฿81.8

409.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.87 OMR 4.57

$3.78 ฿127

214.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 OMR 0.76

$2.26 ฿76.0

-11.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 OMR 0.47

$1.81 ฿60.9

-32.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 OMR 0.63

$2.25 ฿75.8

-26.67%

Eggs

$2.40 OMR 0.92

$2.25 ฿75.5

6.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.81 OMR 1.46

$19.51 ฿656

-80.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.13 OMR 1.97

$3.65 ฿123

40.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.77 OMR 3.38

$13.05 ฿439

-32.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.51 OMR 0.97

$3.23 ฿109

-22.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 OMR 0.67

$1.62 ฿54.4

7.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 OMR 0.71

$2.38 ฿80.1

-22.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 OMR 0.44

$2.03 ฿68.1

-44.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$1.53 ฿51.6

-33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 OMR 0.37

$1.50 ฿50.5

-35.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 OMR 0.40

$0.98 ฿32.91

7.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 OMR 0.21

$0.52 ฿17.39

7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.44 OMR 2.48

$4.44 ฿149

45.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.73 OMR 6.05

$18.32 ฿616

-14.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.42 OMR 1.70

$1.86 ฿62.7

137.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.79 OMR 3.00

$2.68 ฿90.1

190.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.61 OMR 1.01

$3.11 ฿105

-16.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 OMR 0.21

$1.04 ฿35.06

-49.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.34 OMR 2.06

$14.11 ฿474

-62.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 OMR 0.23

$1.31 ฿44.10

-54.96%

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

$23.3K OMR 8,966

$27.8K ฿935.4K

-16.23%

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

$21.5K OMR 8,288

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-35.16%

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

$105 OMR 40.58

$122 ฿4,118

-13.88%

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

$40.41 OMR 15.55

$13.59 ฿457

197.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.4 OMR 26.71

$18.70 ฿629

271.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

Cinema Ticket

$10.24 OMR 3.94

$9.07 ฿305

12.90%

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

$196 OMR 75.3

$706 ฿23.8K

-72.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,765 OMR 3,758

$15.8K ฿531.5K

-38.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.4 OMR 19.41

$58.6 ฿1,969

-13.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.07 OMR 15.42

$35.36 ฿1,189

13.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.8 OMR 30.70

$115 ฿3,883

-30.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.1 OMR 34.29

$83.7 ฿2,816

6.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$208 OMR 79.9

$445 ฿15.0K

-53.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,590 OMR 1,382

$500 ฿16.8K

618.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.15

5.33

-3.38%

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

Last update for Al-Buraimi: July 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Al-Buraimi pays 618% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $26.00 in Al-Buraimi vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $289 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, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 618% 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,009 per month in Al-Buraimi versus $1,250 in Phuket – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,009 in Al-Buraimi versus $1,250 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 24% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.