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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,219 in Al Muharraq versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,752 in Al Muharraq versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,284 in Al Muharraq versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Al Muharraq costs roughly 2% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al Muharraq 9% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.09 BHD 1.54

$4.55 ฿153

-10.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.83 BHD 10.11

$46.18 ฿1,554

-41.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.29 BHD 1.99

$8.84 ฿298

-40.16%

Cappuccino

$4.07 BHD 1.53

$3.06 ฿103

33.01%

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

$0.85 BHD 0.32

$0.73 ฿24.42

16.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 BHD 0.14

$0.40 ฿13.40

-10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.36 BHD 2.02

$2.43 ฿81.8

120.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.82 BHD 2.95

$3.78 ฿127

106.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 BHD 0.49

$2.26 ฿76.0

-42.48%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 BHD 0.20

$1.81 ฿60.9

-71.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.32 BHD 0.87

$2.25 ฿75.8

3.11%

Eggs

$2.33 BHD 0.88

$2.25 ฿75.6

3.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.62 BHD 1.74

$19.51 ฿656

-76.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.15 BHD 1.94

$3.65 ฿123

41.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.93 BHD 2.99

$13.05 ฿439

-39.23%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 BHD 0.45

$3.23 ฿109

-62.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 BHD 0.60

$1.62 ฿54.4

-1.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.07 BHD 0.40

$2.38 ฿80.2

-55.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 BHD 0.46

$2.03 ฿68.2

-39.90%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 BHD 0.29

$1.53 ฿51.6

-50.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 BHD 0.20

$1.50 ฿50.5

-65.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 BHD 0.44

$0.98 ฿32.93

18.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 BHD 0.19

$0.52 ฿17.40

-1.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.27 BHD 1.99

$4.44 ฿149

18.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.78 BHD 7.08

$18.32 ฿616

2.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.35 BHD 1.26

$1.86 ฿62.7

80.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 BHD 1.19

$2.68 ฿90.2

17.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 BHD 0.31

$1.41 ฿47.49

-41.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.70 BHD 1.77

$3.11 ฿105

51.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.69 BHD 1.01

$1.04 ฿35.08

158.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.23 BHD 1.97

$14.11 ฿475

-62.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.44 BHD 0.17

$1.31 ฿44.13

-66.41%

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

$37.0K BHD 14.0K

$27.8K ฿936.0K

33.15%

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

$15.6K BHD 5,896

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-52.91%

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

$105 BHD 39.71

$122 ฿4,120

-13.96%

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

$21.06 BHD 7.94

$13.59 ฿457

54.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.15 BHD 14.76

$18.70 ฿629

109.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 BHD 19.72

$60.5 ฿2,035

-13.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

Cinema Ticket

$7.15 BHD 2.70

$9.07 ฿305

-21.17%

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

$387 BHD 146

$706 ฿23.8K

-45.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,944 BHD 2,240

$15.8K ฿531.8K

-62.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.95 BHD 10.16

$58.6 ฿1,970

-53.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.9 BHD 24.09

$35.36 ฿1,190

80.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.4 BHD 31.44

$115 ฿3,885

-27.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 BHD 34.02

$83.7 ฿2,818

7.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$608 BHD 229

$626 ฿21.1K

-2.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$504 BHD 190

$445 ฿15.0K

13.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$969 BHD 365

$2,040 ฿68.7K

-52.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$790 BHD 298

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-47.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,011 BHD 758

$3,483 ฿117.2K

-42.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,612 BHD 608

$2,577 ฿86.7K

-37.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,549 BHD 584

$500 ฿16.8K

209.80%

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 Muharraq: July 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $608 in Al Muharraq and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Muharraq pays 210% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $27.00 in Al Muharraq vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $201 vs $289 per month, with Al Muharraq 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 Muharraq vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Muharraq and Phuket differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($1,219 vs $1,250 including rent). Al Muharraq is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 210% higher in Al Muharraq, 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: $608 in Al Muharraq versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 44% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,219 per month in Al Muharraq versus $1,250 in Phuket – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,219 in Al Muharraq versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Al Muharraq but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Al Muharraq the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Al Muharraq 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 Muharraq gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.