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: $1,816 in Al Hidd versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,250 in Al Hidd versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,684 in Al Hidd versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Al Hidd is roughly 44% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Hidd is 35% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.56 BHD 2.47

$4.56 ฿149

43.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.07 BHD 14.72

$46.63 ฿1,519

-16.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.22 BHD 2.72

$8.47 ฿276

-14.76%

Cappuccino

$2.71 BHD 1.02

$3.03 ฿98.6

-10.56%

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

$0.77 BHD 0.29

$0.69 ฿22.45

11.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.13 BHD 0.05

$0.37 ฿11.92

-64.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.83 BHD 2.95

$2.49 ฿81.0

214.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.48 BHD 3.95

$3.66 ฿119

186.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 BHD 0.64

$2.18 ฿71.0

-21.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 BHD 0.49

$1.90 ฿62.0

-31.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.38 BHD 0.90

$2.20 ฿71.6

8.18%

Eggs

$2.51 BHD 0.95

$2.22 ฿72.4

13.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.74 BHD 3.29

$19.99 ฿651

-56.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.93 BHD 2.99

$3.66 ฿119

116.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.04 BHD 3.78

$13.25 ฿432

-24.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.46 BHD 0.93

$3.23 ฿105

-23.84%

Banana (1kg)

$2.12 BHD 0.80

$1.70 ฿55.3

24.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 BHD 0.64

$2.39 ฿78.0

-29.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 BHD 0.46

$2.08 ฿67.7

-41.35%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 BHD 0.33

$1.59 ฿51.8

-45.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 BHD 0.39

$1.48 ฿48.31

-29.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 BHD 0.57

$1.03 ฿33.54

45.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 BHD 0.35

$0.52 ฿16.83

76.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.70 BHD 2.53

$4.25 ฿138

57.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.51 BHD 6.97

$18.79 ฿612

-1.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.44 BHD 1.30

$1.76 ฿57.2

95.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 BHD 1.24

$2.76 ฿89.8

19.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.55 BHD 0.58

$1.36 ฿44.32

13.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 BHD 20.31

$11.36 ฿370

374.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.69 BHD 1.77

$3.14 ฿102

49.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.08 BHD 1.54

$1.04 ฿33.74

292.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.19 BHD 9.87

$13.77 ฿448

90.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.41 BHD 0.15

$1.34 ฿43.79

-69.40%

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

$20.1K BHD 7,560

$27.7K ฿901.4K

-27.53%

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

$21.0K BHD 7,926

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-37.90%

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

$121 BHD 45.74

$124 ฿4,025

-1.81%

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

$27.32 BHD 10.30

$13.52 ฿440

102.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.62 BHD 14.56

$18.69 ฿609

106.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$54.1 BHD 20.39

$17.25 ฿562

213.57%

Cinema Ticket

$10.58 BHD 3.99

$9.14 ฿298

15.75%

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

$392 BHD 148

$703 ฿22.9K

-44.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,768 BHD 3,305

$15.9K ฿517.0K

-44.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.78 BHD 17.63

$59.5 ฿1,937

-21.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.5 BHD 23.55

$35.07 ฿1,142

78.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.3 BHD 31.41

$115 ฿3,754

-27.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.8 BHD 32.70

$84.1 ฿2,737

3.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$669 BHD 252

$619 ฿20.1K

8.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$942 BHD 355

$433 ฿14.1K

117.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$784 BHD 295

$2,062 ฿67.2K

-62.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$807 BHD 304

$1,511 ฿49.2K

-46.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,900 BHD 716

$507 ฿16.5K

274.77%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $669 in Al Hidd and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Hidd pays 275% 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 $266 vs $293 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 44% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Al Hidd pays 275% 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: $669 in Al Hidd versus $619 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 374% less than in Al Hidd. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $392 in Al Hidd versus $703 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,816 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 44% less than in Al Hidd. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.