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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,763 in Al Hidd versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,190 in Al Hidd versus $2,255 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,616 in Al Hidd versus $3,279 in Phuket.

Living in Al Hidd is roughly 43% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Hidd is 32% above, Phuket is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.57 BHD 2.47

$4.63 ฿151

41.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.43 BHD 14.83

$46.84 ฿1,532

-15.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.41 BHD 2.78

$8.84 ฿289

-16.18%

Cappuccino

$2.68 BHD 1.01

$3.00 ฿98.0

-10.67%

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

$0.81 BHD 0.31

$0.74 ฿24.25

9.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.14 BHD 0.05

$0.37 ฿11.95

-62.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.88 BHD 2.96

$2.44 ฿79.8

222.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.55 BHD 3.97

$3.61 ฿118

192.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 BHD 0.65

$2.26 ฿73.9

-23.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 BHD 0.48

$1.84 ฿60.1

-30.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 BHD 0.87

$2.24 ฿73.4

3.12%

Eggs

$2.42 BHD 0.91

$2.32 ฿75.7

4.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.54 BHD 3.21

$19.67 ฿643

-56.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.57 BHD 2.85

$3.65 ฿119

107.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.37 BHD 3.90

$13.10 ฿428

-20.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 BHD 0.92

$3.39 ฿111

-27.73%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 BHD 0.77

$1.64 ฿53.7

25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 BHD 0.66

$2.41 ฿79.0

-26.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 BHD 0.45

$2.03 ฿66.4

-40.39%

Potato (1kg)

$0.90 BHD 0.34

$1.56 ฿50.9

-42.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 BHD 0.40

$1.50 ฿48.94

-28.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 BHD 0.55

$1.02 ฿33.50

43.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 BHD 0.35

$0.49 ฿16.00

91.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.46 BHD 2.43

$4.45 ฿145

45.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.73 BHD 7.04

$18.88 ฿617

-0.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.35 BHD 1.26

$1.78 ฿58.1

88.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 BHD 1.19

$2.75 ฿90.1

15.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.58 BHD 0.59

$1.40 ฿45.81

12.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 BHD 19.89

$11.48 ฿376

360.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.62 BHD 1.74

$3.12 ฿102

48.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.01 BHD 1.51

$1.00 ฿32.67

301.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.01 BHD 9.78

$14.09 ฿461

84.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.38 BHD 0.14

$1.35 ฿44.19

-71.85%

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

$20.1K BHD 7,565

$27.2K ฿888.9K

-25.99%

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

$20.8K BHD 7,825

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-36.78%

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

$122 BHD 45.81

$125 ฿4,087

-2.51%

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

$26.79 BHD 10.07

$13.57 ฿444

97.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.28 BHD 14.39

$18.52 ฿606

106.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.5 BHD 20.13

$16.84 ฿551

217.93%

Cinema Ticket

$10.79 BHD 4.06

$9.19 ฿300

17.41%

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

$386 BHD 145

$698 ฿22.8K

-44.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,104 BHD 3,423

$15.6K ฿509.9K

-41.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.87 BHD 17.62

$57.8 ฿1,889

-18.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.4 BHD 23.46

$35.24 ฿1,152

77.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.1 BHD 30.88

$113 ฿3,699

-27.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.0 BHD 33.07

$86.4 ฿2,825

1.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$672 BHD 253

$616 ฿20.1K

9.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$933 BHD 351

$446 ฿14.6K

109.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$795 BHD 299

$2,048 ฿67.0K

-61.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$810 BHD 304

$1,492 ฿48.8K

-45.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,937 BHD 728

$524 ฿17.1K

269.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.56

5.33

60.60%

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

Last update for Al Hidd: April 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $672 in Al Hidd and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Hidd pays 270% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $39.00 in Al Hidd vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $264 vs $292 per month, with Al Hidd 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 Hidd vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 43% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Al Hidd pays 270% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $672 in Al Hidd versus $616 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 361% less than in Al Hidd. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $386 in Al Hidd versus $698 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,763 in Al Hidd, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Al Hidd. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Al Hidd, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Al Hidd 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Al Hidd. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.