Cost of Living Comparison Between Aqaba and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Aqaba and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $898 per month in Aqaba vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,439 per month in Aqaba vs $2,255 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,980 per month in Aqaba vs $3,279 in Phuket, rent included.

Aqaba is about 27% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Aqaba and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Aqaba 33% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.89 JOD 2.05

$4.63 ฿151

-37.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.92 JOD 34.68

$46.84 ฿1,532

4.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.25 JOD 3.01

$8.84 ฿289

-51.92%

Cappuccino

$4.08 JOD 2.89

$3.00 ฿98.0

36.00%

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

$0.52 JOD 0.37

$0.74 ฿24.25

-29.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 JOD 0.25

$0.37 ฿11.95

-5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.75 JOD 4.08

$2.44 ฿79.8

135.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 JOD 4.92

$3.61 ฿118

92.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 JOD 1.02

$2.26 ฿73.9

-36.28%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 JOD 0.33

$1.84 ฿60.1

-74.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 JOD 1.21

$2.24 ฿73.4

-24.11%

Eggs

$1.66 JOD 1.18

$2.32 ฿75.7

-28.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.72 JOD 4.06

$19.67 ฿643

-70.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.14 JOD 2.94

$3.65 ฿119

13.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.59 JOD 6.80

$13.10 ฿428

-26.79%

Apples (1kg)

$1.37 JOD 0.97

$3.39 ฿111

-59.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 JOD 0.97

$1.64 ฿53.7

-16.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 JOD 0.74

$2.41 ฿79.0

-56.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 JOD 0.52

$2.03 ฿66.4

-63.55%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 JOD 0.52

$1.56 ฿50.9

-52.56%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 JOD 0.50

$1.50 ฿48.94

-53.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 JOD 0.43

$1.02 ฿33.50

-40.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 JOD 0.42

$0.49 ฿16.00

20.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.48 JOD 2.46

$4.45 ฿145

-21.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.90 JOD 11.98

$18.88 ฿617

-10.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 JOD 2.02

$1.78 ฿58.1

60.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 JOD 1.73

$2.75 ฿90.1

-11.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 JOD 0.34

$3.12 ฿102

-84.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 JOD 0.98

$1.00 ฿32.67

38.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.12 JOD 5.05

$14.09 ฿461

-49.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 JOD 1.00

$1.35 ฿44.19

4.44%

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

$27.3K JOD 19.4K

$27.2K ฿888.9K

0.55%

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

$31.4K JOD 22.3K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-4.67%

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

$105 JOD 74.6

$125 ฿4,087

-15.81%

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

$16.98 JOD 12.04

$13.57 ฿444

25.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.99 JOD 22.68

$18.52 ฿606

72.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.5 JOD 50.7

$61.5 ฿2,010

16.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 JOD 7.93

$9.19 ฿300

21.76%

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

$275 JOD 195

$698 ฿22.8K

-60.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,840 JOD 2,013

$15.6K ฿509.9K

-81.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.70 JOD 20.35

$57.8 ฿1,889

-50.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.49 JOD 29.42

$35.24 ฿1,152

17.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$41.75 JOD 29.60

$113 ฿3,699

-63.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 JOD 50.4

$86.4 ฿2,825

-17.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$313 JOD 222

$616 ฿20.1K

-49.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$259 JOD 184

$446 ฿14.6K

-41.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$739 JOD 524

$2,048 ฿67.0K

-63.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$496 JOD 352

$1,492 ฿48.8K

-66.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,137 JOD 806

$3,779 ฿123.6K

-69.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$554 JOD 393

$2,649 ฿86.6K

-79.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$572 JOD 405

$524 ฿17.1K

9.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.27

5.33

36.40%

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

Last update for Aqaba: April 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $313 in Aqaba versus $616 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 9% higher in Aqaba, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Aqaba versus $47.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Aqaba vs $292 in Phuket – so Aqaba wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Aqaba vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 37%, 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 $1,347 per month in Aqaba and $1,847 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $898 in Aqaba and $1,232 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $275 per month in Aqaba and $698 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Aqaba, where all-in costs run around $898, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Aqaba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Aqaba – 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 Aqaba. 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.