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: $1,011 in Al-Buraimi versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,298 in Al-Buraimi versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,586 in Al-Buraimi versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Al-Buraimi costs roughly 20% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al-Buraimi 25% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.12 OMR 1.97

$4.70 ฿153

8.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.59 OMR 9.85

$45.37 ฿1,482

-43.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 OMR 2.98

$8.43 ฿275

-8.07%

Cappuccino

$4.96 OMR 1.91

$2.93 ฿95.6

69.28%

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

$1.06 OMR 0.41

$0.69 ฿22.40

53.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 OMR 0.12

$0.37 ฿11.99

-13.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.15 OMR 4.68

$2.41 ฿78.6

404.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.65 OMR 4.49

$3.72 ฿122

213.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 OMR 0.77

$2.23 ฿72.9

-10.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 OMR 0.48

$1.83 ฿59.8

-32.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 OMR 0.67

$2.17 ฿70.8

-19.82%

Eggs

$2.47 OMR 0.95

$2.21 ฿72.3

11.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.87 OMR 1.49

$19.74 ฿645

-80.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.08 OMR 1.96

$3.63 ฿119

39.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.79 OMR 3.38

$13.53 ฿442

-35.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 OMR 1.00

$3.28 ฿107

-20.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 OMR 0.67

$1.61 ฿52.6

7.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 OMR 0.71

$2.41 ฿78.6

-23.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.18 OMR 0.45

$2.08 ฿68.1

-43.27%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 OMR 0.37

$1.53 ฿49.93

-36.60%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 OMR 0.38

$1.48 ฿48.36

-34.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 OMR 0.42

$0.99 ฿32.29

10.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 OMR 0.21

$0.51 ฿16.67

9.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.54 OMR 2.52

$4.41 ฿144

48.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.77 OMR 6.07

$19.38 ฿633

-18.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.32 OMR 1.66

$1.78 ฿58.1

142.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.74 OMR 2.98

$2.71 ฿88.6

185.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.59 OMR 1.00

$3.02 ฿98.6

-14.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 OMR 0.21

$0.99 ฿32.48

-45.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.14 OMR 1.98

$14.10 ฿461

-63.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 OMR 0.25

$1.36 ฿44.51

-52.21%

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

$22.5K OMR 8,664

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-20.20%

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

$21.6K OMR 8,300

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-34.48%

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

$105 OMR 40.56

$122 ฿3,975

-13.43%

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

$41.88 OMR 16.12

$13.57 ฿443

208.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.6 OMR 26.80

$18.31 ฿598

280.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$10.36 OMR 3.99

$8.69 ฿284

19.22%

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

$193 OMR 74.2

$693 ฿22.6K

-72.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,914 OMR 3,817

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-36.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.99 OMR 19.25

$59.5 ฿1,944

-16.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.43 OMR 15.18

$34.77 ฿1,136

13.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.0 OMR 30.42

$115 ฿3,743

-31.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.2 OMR 33.97

$83.3 ฿2,720

5.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$206 OMR 79.4

$437 ฿14.3K

-52.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,613 OMR 1,391

$508 ฿16.6K

611.08%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Al-Buraimi pays 611% 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 $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $293 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 25% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Al-Buraimi pays 611% more on average, 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 25% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,011 per month in Al-Buraimi versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,011 in Al-Buraimi versus $1,265 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 25% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.