Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between AL Kharj and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in AL Kharj: $961 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $3,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

AL Kharj, Saudi Arabia
Phuket, Thailand
AL Kharj
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia
$961
/mo nomad
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in AL Kharj and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in AL Kharj and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $961 per month in AL Kharj vs $1,278 in Phuket, rent included.

  • AL Kharj $961
  • Phuket $1,278

A couple spends around $1,464 per month in AL Kharj vs $2,216 in Phuket, rent included.

  • AL Kharj $1,464
  • Phuket $2,216

A family of three spends $1,966 per month in AL Kharj vs $3,154 in Phuket, rent included.

  • AL Kharj $1,966
  • Phuket $3,154

AL Kharj is about 25% cheaper than Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both AL Kharj and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – AL Kharj 29% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
AL Kharj
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.79 SAR 17.99
$4.47 ฿151
7.16%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$26.43 SAR 99.2
$32.41 ฿1,093
-18.45%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.14 SAR 30.56
$8.81 ฿297
-7.60%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.16 SAR 8.11
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.32 SAR 4.94
-
-
Cappuccino
$3.06 SAR 11.49
$2.83 ฿95.4
8.13%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.85 SAR 3.21
$0.87 ฿29.41
-2.30%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.12 SAR 0.44
$0.49 ฿16.65
-75.51%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.56 ฿86.3
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.68 ฿124
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
AL Kharj
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.49 SAR 5.58
$1.66 ฿55.9
-10.24%
White Bread (500g)
$0.28 SAR 1.06
$1.46 ฿49.31
-80.82%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.44 SAR 9.17
$1.50 ฿50.5
62.67%
Eggs
$2.12 SAR 7.95
$2.09 ฿70.5
1.44%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.38 SAR 38.95
$19.07 ฿643
-45.57%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.95 SAR 18.59
$3.30 ฿111
50.00%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.09 SAR 49.13
$10.91 ฿368
19.98%
Apples (1kg)
$1.71 SAR 6.43
$2.93 ฿98.9
-41.64%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 SAR 5.15
$1.69 ฿57.0
-18.93%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.23 SAR 4.60
$2.25 ฿75.8
-45.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.38 SAR 5.18
$2.08 ฿70.0
-33.65%
Potato (1kg)
$1.06 SAR 3.97
$1.51 ฿51.0
-29.80%
Onion (1kg)
$1.05 SAR 3.94
$1.38 ฿46.52
-23.91%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.55 SAR 2.05
$1.07 ฿35.96
-48.60%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.54 SAR 2.02
$0.52 ฿17.51
3.85%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$2.20 SAR 8.26
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.04 SAR 3.91
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.47 SAR 9.28
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.45 SAR 24.21
$4.20 ฿142
53.57%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$18.79 ฿634
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.82 ฿61.5
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.84 ฿95.8
-
🚌 Getting Around
AL Kharj
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.45 ฿48.98
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$23.07 SAR 86.6
$56.7 ฿1,912
-59.28%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.66 SAR 9.97
$3.02 ฿102
-11.92%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.51 SAR 1.90
$1.02 ฿34.33
-50.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.22 SAR 49.59
$3.69 ฿125
258.27%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.61 SAR 2.27
$1.47 ฿49.76
-58.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.6K SAR 100.0K
$26.8K ฿903.4K
-0.48%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.5K SAR 84.3K
$26.7K ฿900.5K
-15.80%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
AL Kharj
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$107 SAR 400
$96.4 ฿3,251
10.67%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.42 SAR 99.2
$11.26 ฿380
134.64%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$50.6 SAR 190
$16.85 ฿568
200.30%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
AL Kharj
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$72.4 SAR 272
$67.2 ฿2,268
7.63%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$40.69 SAR 153
$10.73 ฿362
279.22%
Cinema Ticket
$13.41 SAR 50.3
$7.50 ฿253
78.80%
🧸 Childcare & Education
AL Kharj
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$289 SAR 1,084
$476 ฿16.1K
-39.30%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,810 SAR 14.3K
$11.3K ฿380.0K
-66.17%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
AL Kharj
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.5 SAR 216
$62.4 ฿2,104
-7.75%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$52.4 SAR 197
$28.41 ฿958
84.44%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$46.60 SAR 175
$94.3 ฿3,181
-50.58%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.9 SAR 296
$85.8 ฿2,895
-8.10%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
AL Kharj
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$692 SAR 2,597
$716 ฿24.2K
-3.34%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$267 SAR 1,002
$491 ฿16.6K
-45.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$590 SAR 2,214
$1,927 ฿65.0K
-69.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$461 SAR 1,729
$1,431 ฿48.3K
-67.80%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$4,175 ฿140.9K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$3,045 ฿102.7K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
AL Kharj
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,793 SAR 10.5K
$502 ฿16.9K
455.98%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.54
5.57
-0.54%

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

Last update for AL Kharj: October 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
AL Kharj
$267
Phuket
$491 83.9% $224
Monthly Utilities & Internet
AL Kharj
$184
Phuket
$124 32.2% $59
Groceries & Markets
AL Kharj
$174
Phuket
$266 53.3% $93
Clothing & Footwear
AL Kharj
$106
Phuket
$122 15.1% $16
Eating Out
AL Kharj
$103
Phuket
$122 17.7% $18
Sport & Entertainment
AL Kharj
$99
Phuket
$82 17.1% $17
Getting Around
AL Kharj
$28 *
Phuket
$71 150% $42

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $692 in AL Kharj versus $716 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 in AL Kharj are about 5.6 times higher, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26 in AL Kharj versus $32 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $174 vs $266 – making AL Kharj the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇸🇦 AL Kharj
🇹🇭 Phuket
🕒 Local time
02:11 2:11 AM
06:11 6:11 AM
4 h ahead of AL Kharj
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
425,300
79,308
💱 Currency
Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to SAR – Saudi Riyal Converter

Saudi Riyal exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 3.75 SAR (1 SAR = 0.266 USD). 1 EUR = 4.19 SAR (1 SAR = 0.239 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.67 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • AL Kharj Phuket 5,710 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • AL Kharj
  • Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Kharj vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in AL Kharj and in Phuket compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $961 in AL Kharj, $1,278 in Phuket – AL Kharj comes out roughly 25% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in AL Kharj compared to Phuket?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,442 per month in AL Kharj and $1,917 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do apartment prices compare in AL Kharj and in Phuket?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $692 in AL Kharj and $716 in Phuket. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
What is the difference in childcare costs between AL Kharj and Phuket?
Kindergarten costs $289 per month in AL Kharj and $476 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 53% more in Phuket, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in AL Kharj, where all-in costs run around $961, than in Phuket at $1,278. In AL Kharj it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: AL Kharj or Phuket?
Families tend to lean toward AL Kharj – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Is AL Kharj or Phuket safer for residents?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Where should expats move: AL Kharj or Phuket?
For expats, AL Kharj is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 25% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

AL Kharj vs other spots: cost of living compared

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