Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Mukalla and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Al Mukalla: $842 a month against $1,208 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $4,400 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Phuket outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

59

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
Learn more

Phuket Living Index

Jump to prices

Al Mukalla

🇾🇪 Yemen

$842

/mo nomad

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,208

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Al Mukalla 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 Mukalla and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $842 in Al Mukalla versus $1,208 in Phuket.

Al Mukalla $842
Phuket $1,208

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,654 in Al Mukalla versus $2,027 in Phuket.

Al Mukalla $1,654
Phuket $2,027

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,466 in Al Mukalla versus $2,845 in Phuket.

Al Mukalla $2,466
Phuket $2,845

Living in Al Mukalla costs roughly 30% less than in Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al Mukalla 38% lower, Phuket 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.88 YER 3,983

$4.40 ฿147

283.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.8 YER 20.0K

$32.26 ฿1,078

162.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿293

Cappuccino

$8.45 YER 1,992

$2.83 ฿94.5

198.59%

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

$0.90 ฿30.14

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 YER 210

$0.47 ฿15.56

89.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.55 ฿85.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 ฿128

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.7

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿49.11

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 ฿50.6

Eggs

$10.58 YER 2,496

$2.17 ฿72.7

387.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.08 YER 3,557

$19.70 ฿658

-23.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$25.73 YER 6,070

$3.34 ฿112

670.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$58.5 YER 13.8K

$11.16 ฿373

424.19%

Apples (1kg)

$14.61 YER 3,446

$2.85 ฿95.1

412.63%

Banana (1kg)

$6.37 YER 1,503

$1.70 ฿56.9

274.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.94 YER 1,165

$2.19 ฿73.3

125.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.29 YER 776

$2.05 ฿68.4

60.49%

Potato (1kg)

$7.71 YER 1,818

$1.45 ฿48.57

431.72%

Onion (1kg)

$4.15 YER 978

$1.38 ฿46.16

200.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.69

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 YER 609

$0.51 ฿16.91

405.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

Wine (Bottle)

$18.58 ฿621

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿95.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 ฿75.6

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.10 ฿738

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 ฿101

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 ฿35.34

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.86 ฿129

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.45

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

$26.3K ฿879.9K

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

$26.9K ฿900.4K

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

$96.4 ฿3,221

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

$11.04 ฿369

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.14 ฿573

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 ฿1,744

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.16 ฿373

Cinema Ticket

$7.81 ฿261

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

$556 ฿18.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿387.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.2 ฿2,146

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.69 ฿959

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.4 ฿3,187

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.0 ฿2,940

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 ฿24.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ฿15.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,095 ฿70.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,201 ฿40.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,488 ฿116.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,523 ฿84.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$501 ฿16.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Al Mukalla: October 18, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Al Mukalla

–

Phuket

$462 38.3%

Groceries & Markets

Al Mukalla

–

Phuket

$269 22.2%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Al Mukalla

–

Phuket

$125 10.3%

Clothing & Footwear

Al Mukalla

–

Phuket

$124 10.3%

Eating Out

Al Mukalla

–

Phuket

$121 10%

Sport & Entertainment

Al Mukalla

–

Phuket

$68 5.6%

Getting Around

Al Mukalla

–

Phuket

$39 3.3%

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $85.0 in Al Mukalla vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $602 vs $269 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇾🇪 Al Mukalla

🇹🇭 Phuket

🕒 Local time

20:45 8:45 PM

00:45 12:45 AM

4 h ahead of Al Mukalla

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

176,942

79,308

💱 Currency

Yemeni Rial YER ﷼

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 YER = 4.24 USD

1,000 YER = 3.77 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to YER – Yemeni Rial Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇾🇪 Yemeni Rial (﷼)

Yemeni Rial exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 236 YER (1,000 YER = 4.24 USD). 1 EUR = 265 YER (1,000 YER = 3.77 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to YER in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Al Mukalla Phuket 5,410 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Al Mukalla
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 Mukalla vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Mukalla is cheaper overall, especially in transport, utilities, and clothing. The 44% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,262 in Al Mukalla and $1,813 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Shoppers in Phuket pay roughly 124% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Al Mukalla – a meal for two runs $85.0 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $842 in Al Mukalla versus $1,208 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al Mukalla but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Al Mukalla the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Al Mukalla is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Al Mukalla 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 Mukalla gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.