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: $1,213 in Al Muharraq versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,756 in Al Muharraq versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,299 in Al Muharraq versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Al Muharraq costs roughly 4% 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

$4.00 BHD 1.51

$4.70 ฿153

-14.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.62 BHD 10.04

$45.37 ฿1,482

-41.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.19 BHD 1.96

$8.43 ฿275

-38.43%

Cappuccino

$3.90 BHD 1.47

$2.93 ฿95.6

33.11%

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

$0.84 BHD 0.32

$0.69 ฿22.40

21.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 BHD 0.15

$0.37 ฿11.99

5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.44 BHD 2.05

$2.41 ฿78.6

125.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.05 BHD 3.04

$3.72 ฿122

116.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 BHD 0.51

$2.23 ฿72.9

-39.91%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 BHD 0.21

$1.83 ฿59.8

-69.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 BHD 0.87

$2.17 ฿70.8

6.45%

Eggs

$2.45 BHD 0.92

$2.21 ฿72.3

10.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.45 BHD 1.68

$19.74 ฿645

-77.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.05 BHD 1.90

$3.63 ฿119

39.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.17 BHD 3.08

$13.53 ฿442

-39.62%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 BHD 0.46

$3.28 ฿107

-62.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 BHD 0.63

$1.61 ฿52.6

3.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.10 BHD 0.41

$2.41 ฿78.6

-54.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 BHD 0.44

$2.08 ฿68.1

-44.23%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 BHD 0.31

$1.53 ฿49.93

-47.06%

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 BHD 0.20

$1.48 ฿48.36

-64.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 BHD 0.46

$0.99 ฿32.29

22.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 BHD 0.19

$0.51 ฿16.67

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.20 BHD 1.96

$4.41 ฿144

17.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.50 BHD 6.97

$19.38 ฿633

-4.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.34 BHD 1.26

$1.78 ฿58.1

87.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 BHD 1.20

$2.71 ฿88.6

17.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 BHD 0.31

$1.37 ฿44.79

-38.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.57 BHD 1.72

$3.02 ฿98.6

51.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.59 BHD 0.98

$0.99 ฿32.48

161.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.19 BHD 1.96

$14.10 ฿461

-63.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.43 BHD 0.16

$1.36 ฿44.51

-68.38%

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

$36.8K BHD 13.9K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

30.52%

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

$15.9K BHD 5,976

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-51.82%

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

$105 BHD 39.57

$122 ฿3,975

-13.75%

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

$21.38 BHD 8.06

$13.57 ฿443

57.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.44 BHD 14.49

$18.31 ฿598

109.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 BHD 19.63

$60.2 ฿1,967

-13.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 BHD 2.83

$8.69 ฿284

-13.69%

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

$388 BHD 146

$693 ฿22.6K

-44.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,915 BHD 2,230

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-62.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.00 BHD 10.18

$59.5 ฿1,944

-54.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.6 BHD 23.59

$34.77 ฿1,136

79.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.9 BHD 31.24

$115 ฿3,743

-27.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 BHD 33.51

$83.3 ฿2,720

6.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$612 BHD 231

$613 ฿20.0K

-0.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$502 BHD 189

$437 ฿14.3K

14.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$964 BHD 363

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-53.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$801 BHD 302

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-46.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,998 BHD 753

$3,749 ฿122.5K

-46.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,617 BHD 610

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-38.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,574 BHD 593

$508 ฿16.6K

209.68%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $612 in Al Muharraq and $613 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 $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $202 vs $293 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 4% in total monthly costs ($1,213 vs $1,265 including rent). Al Muharraq is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Al Muharraq pays 210% 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: $612 in Al Muharraq versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 45% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,213 per month in Al Muharraq versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,213 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 4% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.