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: $1,077 in Al Muharraq versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,603 in Al Muharraq versus $2,089 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,129 in Al Muharraq versus $2,913 in Phuket.

Living in Al Muharraq costs roughly 15% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al Muharraq 22% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.57 BHD 0.97

$4.66 ฿154

-44.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.31 BHD 9.92

$32.22 ฿1,065

-18.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.88 BHD 2.22

$8.68 ฿287

-32.26%

Cappuccino

$3.87 BHD 1.46

$2.90 ฿95.8

33.45%

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

$0.82 BHD 0.31

$0.84 ฿27.89

-2.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 BHD 0.12

$0.49 ฿16.16

-34.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.70 BHD 2.52

$2.48 ฿82.0

170.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.78 BHD 2.55

$3.73 ฿123

81.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 BHD 0.49

$1.89 ฿62.3

-30.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 BHD 0.40

$1.41 ฿46.54

-24.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 BHD 0.88

$1.62 ฿53.6

45.06%

Eggs

$2.23 BHD 0.84

$2.24 ฿74.1

-0.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.60 BHD 1.36

$19.84 ฿656

-81.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.86 BHD 1.83

$3.48 ฿115

39.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.68 BHD 3.27

$11.37 ฿376

-23.66%

Apples (1kg)

$1.08 BHD 0.41

$2.90 ฿95.8

-62.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 BHD 0.71

$1.72 ฿57.0

9.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 BHD 0.39

$2.27 ฿75.1

-54.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 BHD 0.55

$2.13 ฿70.4

-31.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 BHD 0.38

$1.47 ฿48.72

-31.97%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 BHD 0.19

$1.42 ฿46.92

-64.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.50 BHD 0.19

$1.10 ฿36.25

-54.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 BHD 0.19

$0.60 ฿19.76

-15.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.39 BHD 2.03

$4.31 ฿142

25.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.90 BHD 7.12

$18.60 ฿615

1.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.65 BHD 1.38

$1.80 ฿59.5

102.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 BHD 1.01

$2.97 ฿98.0

-9.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.19 BHD 1.96

$3.10 ฿102

67.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 BHD 0.51

$1.08 ฿35.56

25.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 BHD 2.00

$3.87 ฿128

37.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.51 BHD 0.19

$1.43 ฿47.16

-64.34%

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

$37.2K BHD 14.0K

$27.8K ฿918.0K

34.05%

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

$20.1K BHD 7,582

$27.0K ฿891.5K

-25.45%

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

$154 BHD 58.0

$105 ฿3,462

46.95%

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

$20.94 BHD 7.89

$11.39 ฿376

83.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.50 BHD 13.00

$17.54 ฿580

96.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$10.54 BHD 3.97

$7.78 ฿257

35.48%

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

$496 BHD 187

$576 ฿19.0K

-14.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K BHD 4,132

$11.6K ฿382.7K

-5.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 BHD 19.47

$63.6 ฿2,103

-18.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 BHD 21.50

$29.10 ฿961

96.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.4 BHD 33.33

$96.2 ฿3,179

-8.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.5 BHD 34.11

$90.0 ฿2,974

0.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$460 BHD 173

$733 ฿24.2K

-37.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 BHD 138

$501 ฿16.5K

-27.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 BHD 382

$2,126 ฿70.2K

-52.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$725 BHD 273

$1,252 ฿41.4K

-42.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,997 BHD 753

$3,534 ฿116.8K

-43.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,592 BHD 600

$2,622 ฿86.6K

-39.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,763 BHD 664

$508 ฿16.8K

247.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.21

5.57

11.49%

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

Last update for Al Muharraq: September 6, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $460 in Al Muharraq and $733 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Muharraq pays 247% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $26.00 in Al Muharraq vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $275 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 17% in total monthly costs ($1,077 vs $1,265 including rent). Al Muharraq is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 247% 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: $460 in Al Muharraq versus $733 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 34% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,077 per month in Al Muharraq versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,077 in Al Muharraq versus $1,265 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 17% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.