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

Name: Phuket
Address: Phuket, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Al-Ula vs $1,261 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,845 per month in Al-Ula vs $2,286 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,457 per month in Al-Ula vs $3,310 in Phuket, rent included.

Al-Ula is about 2% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Al-Ula and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Al-Ula 8% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.63 SAR 24.87

$4.56 ฿149

45.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.19 SAR 166

$46.63 ฿1,519

-5.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 SAR 29.54

$8.47 ฿276

-7.08%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.70 SAR 6.38

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.96

Cappuccino

$3.55 SAR 13.33

$3.03 ฿98.6

17.16%

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

$0.75 SAR 2.82

$0.69 ฿22.45

8.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.07

$0.37 ฿11.92

-21.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 SAR 6.19

$2.18 ฿71.0

-24.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 SAR 3.75

$1.90 ฿62.0

-47.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.32 SAR 8.70

$2.20 ฿71.6

5.45%

Eggs

$2.49 SAR 9.34

$2.22 ฿72.4

12.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.00 SAR 26.28

$19.99 ฿651

-64.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.38 SAR 27.68

$3.66 ฿119

101.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 SAR 48.98

$13.25 ฿432

-1.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 SAR 8.48

$3.23 ฿105

-30.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 SAR 6.00

$1.70 ฿55.3

-5.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 SAR 6.57

$2.39 ฿78.0

-26.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.80

$2.08 ฿67.7

-25.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 SAR 4.84

$1.59 ฿51.8

-18.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 SAR 4.93

$1.48 ฿48.31

-11.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 SAR 4.44

$1.03 ฿33.54

14.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.23

$0.52 ฿16.83

13.46%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.76 SAR 10.37

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 SAR 6.33

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SAR 7.88

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.98 SAR 26.18

$4.25 ฿138

64.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.07

$1.36 ฿44.32

-20.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.10 SAR 150

$11.36 ฿370

252.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.62 SAR 9.82

$3.14 ฿102

-16.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SAR 6.89

$1.04 ฿33.74

76.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.39 SAR 50.3

$13.77 ฿448

-2.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.37

$1.34 ฿43.79

-52.99%

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

$26.3K SAR 98.7K

$27.7K ฿901.4K

-5.00%

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

$22.4K SAR 84.0K

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-33.86%

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

$107 SAR 400

$124 ฿4,025

-13.80%

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

$34.23 SAR 128

$13.52 ฿440

153.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.4 SAR 268

$18.69 ฿609

282.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.4 SAR 328

$61.8 ฿2,013

41.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.95 SAR 135

$17.25 ฿562

108.41%

Cinema Ticket

$15.91 SAR 59.7

$9.14 ฿298

74.07%

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

$354 SAR 1,329

$703 ฿22.9K

-49.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,950 SAR 26.1K

$15.9K ฿517.0K

-56.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.2 SAR 218

$59.5 ฿1,937

-2.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.2 SAR 222

$35.07 ฿1,142

68.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.7 SAR 295

$115 ฿3,754

-31.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 SAR 302

$84.1 ฿2,737

-4.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 SAR 1,640

$619 ฿20.1K

-29.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 SAR 1,411

$433 ฿14.1K

-13.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$866 SAR 3,250

$2,062 ฿67.2K

-57.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 SAR 2,336

$1,511 ฿49.2K

-58.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,046 SAR 7,676

$3,646 ฿118.7K

-43.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,326 SAR 4,975

$2,626 ฿85.5K

-49.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

5.33

-17.07%

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

Last update for Al-Ula: June 8, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $437 in Al-Ula versus $619 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Al-Ula versus $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $197 vs $293 – making Al-Ula 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-Ula vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,232 in Al-Ula, $1,261 in Phuket – roughly 2% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,848 per month in Al-Ula and $1,892 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Al-Ula, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $354 per month in Al-Ula and $703 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 49% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Al-Ula, where all-in costs run around $1,232, than in Phuket at $1,261. In Al-Ula it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,232 in Al-Ula to $1,261 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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-Ula. 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.