Cost of Living Comparison Between As Salt and PhuketCost of Living Comparison Between As Salt and Phuket
Monthly Cost of Living
🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $696 in As Salt versus $1,232 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,097 in As Salt versus $2,255 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,498 in As Salt versus $3,279 in Phuket.
🙂Living in As Salt costs roughly 43% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: As Salt48% lower, Phuket8% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
As Salt
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.25JOD 3.02
$4.63฿151
-8.21%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$21.08JOD 14.94
$46.84฿1,532
-55.00%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.88JOD 4.88
$8.84฿289
-22.17%
Cappuccino
$1.44JOD 1.02
$3.00฿98.0
-52.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33JOD 0.24
$0.74฿24.25
-55.41%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.27JOD 0.19
$0.37฿11.95
-27.03%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.50JOD 3.90
$2.44฿79.8
125.41%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.11JOD 2.91
$3.61฿118
13.85%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
As Salt
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.44JOD 1.02
$2.26฿73.9
-36.28%
White Bread(500g)
$0.36JOD 0.26
$1.84฿60.1
-80.43%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.68JOD 1.19
$2.24฿73.4
-25.00%
Eggs
$1.72JOD 1.22
$2.32฿75.7
-25.86%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.12JOD 2.92
$19.67฿643
-79.05%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.33JOD 3.07
$3.65฿119
18.63%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.56JOD 8.19
$13.10฿428
-11.76%
Apples(1kg)
$1.42JOD 1.01
$3.39฿111
-58.11%
Banana(1kg)
$1.48JOD 1.05
$1.64฿53.7
-9.76%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.39JOD 0.98
$2.41฿79.0
-42.32%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.58JOD 0.41
$2.03฿66.4
-71.43%
Potato(1kg)
$0.73JOD 0.52
$1.56฿50.9
-53.21%
Onion(1kg)
$0.75JOD 0.53
$1.50฿48.94
-50.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.66JOD 0.47
$1.02฿33.50
-35.29%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.58JOD 0.41
$0.49฿16.00
18.37%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.63JOD 2.58
$4.45฿145
-18.43%
Wine(Bottle)
$13.87JOD 9.84
$18.88฿617
-26.54%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$4.82JOD 3.42
$1.78฿58.1
170.79%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.39JOD 3.82
$2.75฿90.1
96.00%
🚌 Getting Around
As Salt
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.92JOD 0.65
$1.40฿45.81
-34.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$28.20JOD 19.99
$11.48฿376
145.64%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.62JOD 0.44
$3.12฿102
-80.13%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.40JOD 0.99
$1.00฿32.67
40.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.21JOD 5.11
$14.09฿461
-48.83%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.32JOD 0.94
$1.35฿44.19
-2.22%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.8KJOD 14.8K
$27.2K฿888.9K
-23.42%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.5KJOD 18.1K
$32.9K฿1.1M
-22.49%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
As Salt
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$35.16JOD 24.93
$125฿4,087
-71.87%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.14JOD 7.90
$13.57฿444
-17.91%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$14.18JOD 10.05
$18.52฿606
-23.43%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
As Salt
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$33.16JOD 23.51
$61.5฿2,010
-46.06%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.00JOD 24.81
$16.84฿551
107.84%
Cinema Ticket
$8.99JOD 6.37
$9.19฿300
-2.18%
🧸 Childcare & Education
As Salt
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$141JOD 99.6
$698฿22.8K
-79.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,488JOD 3,891
$15.6K฿509.9K
-64.80%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
As Salt
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$24.66JOD 17.48
$57.8฿1,889
-57.31%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$48.85JOD 34.63
$35.24฿1,152
38.62%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$49.07JOD 34.79
$113฿3,699
-56.62%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$28.76JOD 20.39
$86.4฿2,825
-66.71%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
As Salt
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$144JOD 102
$616฿20.1K
-76.67%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$158JOD 112
$446฿14.6K
-64.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$242JOD 172
$2,048฿67.0K
-88.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$277JOD 197
$1,492฿48.8K
-81.41%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,779฿123.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,649฿86.6K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
As Salt
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$560JOD 397
$524฿17.1K
6.95%
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 As Salt: April 26, 2026
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $144 in As Salt and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰As Salt pays 7% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $21.00 in As Salt vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $201 vs $292 per month, with As Salt cheaper across the board.
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
As Salt vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, As Salt or Phuket?
As Salt wins on cost – living expenses run 77% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making As Salt the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in As Salt or Phuket?
As Salt pays 7% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in As Salt vs Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $144 in As Salt versus $616 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in As Salt vs Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in As Salt – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in As Salt compared to Phuket?
All in, you'll spend $696 per month in As Salt versus $1,232 in Phuket – a 77% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in As Salt or Phuket?
At $696 in As Salt versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in As Salt but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes As Salt the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, As Salt or Phuket?
Both work as nomad bases, but As Salt delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $696 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes As Salt hard to pass up.
How safe is As Salt compared to Phuket?
Safety-wise, As Salt and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find As Salt gentler on the wallet – expenses run 77% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.