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 $526 per month in Al-qardahah vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $819 per month in Al-qardahah vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,113 per month in Al-qardahah vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

Al-qardahah is about 58% 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

$5.89 SYP 716

$4.55 ฿153

29.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.02 SYP 3,284

$46.18 ฿1,554

-41.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.58 SYP 678

$8.84 ฿298

-36.88%

Cappuccino

$1.49 SYP 181

$3.06 ฿103

-51.31%

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

$1.13 SYP 138

$0.73 ฿24.42

54.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 SYP 87.0

$0.40 ฿13.40

80.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.62 SYP 197

$2.43 ฿81.8

-33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 SYP 308

$3.78 ฿127

-32.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 SYP 117

$2.26 ฿76.0

-57.08%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 SYP 72.8

$1.81 ฿60.9

-66.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 SYP 204

$2.25 ฿75.8

-25.33%

Eggs

$1.87 SYP 227

$2.25 ฿75.6

-16.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.04 SYP 369

$19.51 ฿656

-84.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.44 SYP 904

$3.65 ฿123

103.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.45 SYP 1,391

$13.05 ฿439

-12.26%

Apples (1kg)

$0.94 SYP 115

$3.23 ฿109

-70.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 SYP 218

$1.62 ฿54.4

11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 SYP 124

$2.38 ฿80.2

-57.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.89 SYP 109

$2.03 ฿68.2

-56.16%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 SYP 80.4

$1.53 ฿51.6

-56.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 SYP 80.5

$1.50 ฿50.5

-56.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.40 SYP 49.21

$0.98 ฿32.93

-59.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 SYP 69.9

$0.52 ฿17.40

11.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.04 SYP 370

$4.44 ฿149

-31.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.04 SYP 977

$18.32 ฿616

-56.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 SYP 119

$1.86 ฿62.7

-47.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 SYP 213

$2.68 ฿90.2

-34.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.99 SYP 120

$3.11 ฿105

-68.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 SYP 148

$1.04 ฿35.08

17.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.47 SYP 787

$14.11 ฿475

-54.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.78 SYP 459

$1.31 ฿44.13

188.55%

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

$18.3K SYP 2.2M

$27.8K ฿936.0K

-34.05%

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

$20.7K SYP 2.5M

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-37.79%

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

$101 SYP 12.3K

$122 ฿4,120

-17.22%

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

$8.20 SYP 996

$13.59 ฿457

-39.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.2 SYP 6,712

$18.70 ฿629

195.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,035

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

Cinema Ticket

$3.07 SYP 374

$9.07 ฿305

-66.15%

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

$44.51 SYP 5,409

$706 ฿23.8K

-93.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,843 SYP 224.0K

$15.8K ฿531.8K

-88.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.18 SYP 3,546

$58.6 ฿1,970

-50.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.02 SYP 3,162

$35.36 ฿1,190

-26.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.33 SYP 5,508

$115 ฿3,885

-60.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.3 SYP 6,720

$83.7 ฿2,818

-33.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Al-qardahah versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $171 vs $289 – 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 138%, 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 $789 per month in Al-qardahah and $1,875 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 $27.00 in Al-qardahah and $46.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 69% 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 $526, than in Phuket at $1,250. 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.