Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Fujayrah and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Fujayrah and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,631 per month in Al Fujayrah vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,559 per month in Al Fujayrah vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,487 per month in Al Fujayrah vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Al Fujayrah costs about 29% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Al Fujayrah sits 22% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.08 AED 29.68

$4.70 ฿153

71.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.5 AED 222

$45.37 ฿1,482

33.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.62 AED 24.31

$8.43 ฿275

-21.47%

Cappuccino

$5.46 AED 20.04

$2.93 ฿95.6

86.35%

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

$0.78 AED 2.86

$0.69 ฿22.40

13.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 AED 2.30

$0.37 ฿11.99

70.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.36 AED 45.38

$2.41 ฿78.6

412.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.84 AED 50.9

$3.72 ฿122

272.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 AED 7.25

$2.23 ฿72.9

-11.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 AED 5.23

$1.83 ฿59.8

-22.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.22 AED 8.15

$2.17 ฿70.8

2.30%

Eggs

$3.38 AED 12.43

$2.21 ฿72.3

52.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.18 AED 37.40

$19.74 ฿645

-48.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.43 AED 34.64

$3.63 ฿119

159.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.79 AED 46.98

$13.53 ฿442

-5.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 AED 8.35

$3.28 ฿107

-30.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 AED 7.21

$1.61 ฿52.6

21.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 AED 6.98

$2.41 ฿78.6

-21.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 AED 5.70

$2.08 ฿68.1

-25.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 AED 4.33

$1.53 ฿49.93

-22.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 AED 4.86

$1.48 ฿48.36

-10.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 AED 5.35

$0.99 ฿32.29

47.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 AED 2.37

$0.51 ฿16.67

27.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.51 AED 23.90

$4.41 ฿144

47.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.62 AED 61.0

$19.38 ฿633

-14.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 AED 9.96

$1.78 ฿58.1

52.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 AED 12.95

$2.71 ฿88.6

29.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.65 AED 6.05

$1.37 ฿44.79

20.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.6 AED 193

$11.39 ฿372

361.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.36 AED 12.34

$3.02 ฿98.6

11.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 AED 2.87

$0.99 ฿32.48

-21.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.28 AED 30.42

$14.10 ฿461

-41.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 AED 2.93

$1.36 ฿44.51

-41.18%

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

$32.8K AED 120.4K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

16.24%

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

$22.5K AED 82.5K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-31.75%

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

$211 AED 775

$122 ฿3,975

73.35%

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

$61.9 AED 227

$13.57 ฿443

355.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$102 AED 373

$18.31 ฿598

454.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 AED 203

$60.2 ฿1,967

-8.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.82 AED 143

$17.14 ฿560

126.49%

Cinema Ticket

$14.88 AED 54.6

$8.69 ฿284

71.23%

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

$828 AED 3,043

$693 ฿22.6K

19.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K AED 52.5K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-8.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.1 AED 305

$59.5 ฿1,944

39.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.0 AED 235

$34.77 ฿1,136

83.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 AED 423

$115 ฿3,743

0.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 AED 451

$83.3 ฿2,720

47.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$541 AED 1,988

$613 ฿20.0K

-11.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$401 AED 1,474

$437 ฿14.3K

-8.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,149 AED 4,218

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-45.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$980 AED 3,600

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-35.06%

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)

$3,801 AED 14.0K

$508 ฿16.6K

648.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.49

5.33

-15.76%

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

Last update for Al Fujayrah: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $541 in Al Fujayrah versus $613 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 648% higher in Al Fujayrah, 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 $60.0 in Al Fujayrah versus $45.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $285 in Al Fujayrah vs $293 in Phuket – so Al Fujayrah wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Fujayrah vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Fujayrah costs about 29% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,446 per month in Al Fujayrah and $1,898 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 $828 per month in Al Fujayrah and $693 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Al Fujayrah – 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 $1,265, than in Al Fujayrah at $1,631. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Al Fujayrah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,265 versus $1,631 in Al Fujayrah. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Al Fujayrah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.