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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $925 per month in Aqaba vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,515 per month in Aqaba vs $2,089 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,104 per month in Aqaba vs $2,913 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

$2.87 JOD 2.03

$4.66 ฿154

-38.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.5 JOD 47.73

$32.22 ฿1,065

109.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.11 JOD 2.91

$8.68 ฿287

-52.65%

Cappuccino

$4.43 JOD 3.13

$2.90 ฿95.8

52.76%

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

$0.60 JOD 0.43

$0.84 ฿27.89

-28.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 JOD 0.43

$0.49 ฿16.16

22.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.48 JOD 6.00

$2.48 ฿82.0

241.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.02 JOD 7.80

$3.73 ฿123

195.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 JOD 1.03

$1.89 ฿62.3

-23.28%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 JOD 0.36

$1.41 ฿46.54

-64.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 JOD 1.12

$1.62 ฿53.6

-2.47%

Eggs

$1.64 JOD 1.16

$2.24 ฿74.1

-26.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.49 JOD 3.89

$19.84 ฿656

-72.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.12 JOD 2.92

$3.48 ฿115

18.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.70 JOD 6.86

$11.37 ฿376

-14.69%

Apples (1kg)

$1.40 JOD 0.99

$2.90 ฿95.8

-51.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 JOD 1.02

$1.72 ฿57.0

-16.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.07 JOD 0.76

$2.27 ฿75.1

-52.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 JOD 0.49

$2.13 ฿70.4

-67.61%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 JOD 0.52

$1.47 ฿48.72

-49.66%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 JOD 0.52

$1.42 ฿46.92

-48.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 JOD 0.45

$1.10 ฿36.25

-41.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 JOD 0.38

$0.60 ฿19.76

-10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.77 JOD 2.67

$4.31 ฿142

-12.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.98 JOD 12.01

$18.60 ฿615

-8.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.88 JOD 2.04

$1.80 ฿59.5

60.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 JOD 1.73

$2.97 ฿98.0

-17.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 JOD 0.33

$3.10 ฿102

-84.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 JOD 1.02

$1.08 ฿35.56

34.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.15 JOD 5.06

$3.87 ฿128

84.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 JOD 1.06

$1.43 ฿47.16

4.20%

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

$30.8K JOD 21.8K

$27.8K ฿918.0K

10.96%

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

$31.0K JOD 22.0K

$27.0K ฿891.5K

14.95%

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

$131 JOD 92.7

$105 ฿3,462

25.00%

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

$15.82 JOD 11.20

$11.39 ฿376

38.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.04 JOD 22.67

$17.54 ฿580

82.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.2 JOD 45.46

$54.3 ฿1,795

18.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$11.46 JOD 8.11

$7.78 ฿257

47.30%

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

$480 JOD 340

$576 ฿19.0K

-16.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,811 JOD 1,990

$11.6K ฿382.7K

-75.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.89 JOD 19.74

$63.6 ฿2,103

-56.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.66 JOD 30.19

$29.10 ฿961

46.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$42.51 JOD 30.08

$96.2 ฿3,179

-55.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.4 JOD 49.82

$90.0 ฿2,974

-21.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$283 JOD 200

$733 ฿24.2K

-61.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$213 JOD 151

$501 ฿16.5K

-57.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$677 JOD 479

$2,126 ฿70.2K

-68.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$460 JOD 325

$1,252 ฿41.4K

-63.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,149 JOD 813

$3,534 ฿116.8K

-67.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$569 JOD 403

$2,622 ฿86.6K

-78.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$567 JOD 401

$508 ฿16.8K

11.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

5.57

22.26%

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

Last update for Aqaba: September 5, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $283 in Aqaba versus $733 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 12% 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 $67.0 in Aqaba versus $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Aqaba vs $275 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 $1,388 per month in Aqaba and $1,898 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 $925 in Aqaba and $1,265 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $480 per month in Aqaba and $576 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 $925, than in Phuket at $1,265. 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.