Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-qardahah and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-qardahah and Phuket

Name: Phuket
Address: Phuket, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $523 per month in Al-qardahah vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $819 per month in Al-qardahah vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,114 per month in Al-qardahah vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Al-qardahah is about 59% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Al-qardahah and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Al-qardahah 61% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 SYP 654

$4.70 ฿153

25.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.69 SYP 3,060

$45.37 ฿1,482

-38.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.53 SYP 611

$8.43 ฿275

-34.40%

Cappuccino

$1.56 SYP 172

$2.93 ฿95.6

-46.76%

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

$1.12 SYP 123

$0.69 ฿22.40

62.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 SYP 81.2

$0.37 ฿11.99

97.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.64 SYP 181

$2.41 ฿78.6

-31.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 SYP 278

$3.72 ฿122

-32.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 SYP 104

$2.23 ฿72.9

-57.85%

White Bread (500g)

$0.64 SYP 70.3

$1.83 ฿59.8

-65.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 SYP 185

$2.17 ฿70.8

-22.58%

Eggs

$1.92 SYP 212

$2.21 ฿72.3

-13.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.10 SYP 343

$19.74 ฿645

-84.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.69 SYP 849

$3.63 ฿119

111.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.35 SYP 1,255

$13.53 ฿442

-16.11%

Apples (1kg)

$0.87 SYP 96.6

$3.28 ฿107

-73.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 SYP 201

$1.61 ฿52.6

13.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 SYP 114

$2.41 ฿78.6

-57.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.89 SYP 98.8

$2.08 ฿68.1

-57.21%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 SYP 72.6

$1.53 ฿49.93

-56.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 SYP 73.1

$1.48 ฿48.36

-55.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.41 SYP 45.24

$0.99 ฿32.29

-58.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 SYP 63.4

$0.51 ฿16.67

11.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.08 SYP 340

$4.41 ฿144

-30.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.96 SYP 658

$19.38 ฿633

-69.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 SYP 113

$1.78 ฿58.1

-42.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 SYP 204

$2.71 ฿88.6

-31.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 SYP 113

$3.02 ฿98.6

-66.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 SYP 142

$0.99 ฿32.48

30.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.52 SYP 721

$14.10 ฿461

-53.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.76 SYP 416

$1.36 ฿44.51

176.47%

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

$18.1K SYP 2.0M

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-35.68%

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

$21.3K SYP 2.4M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-35.31%

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

$102 SYP 11.3K

$122 ฿3,975

-15.97%

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

$8.36 SYP 923

$13.57 ฿443

-38.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.5 SYP 6,023

$18.31 ฿598

197.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$2.95 SYP 326

$8.69 ฿284

-66.05%

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

$44.02 SYP 4,864

$693 ฿22.6K

-93.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,819 SYP 201.0K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-88.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.62 SYP 3,273

$59.5 ฿1,944

-50.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.95 SYP 2,868

$34.77 ฿1,136

-25.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.48 SYP 5,026

$115 ฿3,743

-60.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.3 SYP 6,112

$83.3 ฿2,720

-33.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.75

5.33

157.97%

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

Last update for Al-qardahah: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Al-qardahah versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $168 vs $293 – making Al-qardahah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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-qardahah vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 142%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $785 per month in Al-qardahah and $1,898 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Al-qardahah and $45.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 74% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Al-qardahah, where all-in costs run around $523, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Al-qardahah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Al-qardahah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Al-qardahah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.