Cost of Living Comparison Between Buraydah and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Buraydah and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,235 per month in Buraydah vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,064 per month in Buraydah vs $2,089 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,893 per month in Buraydah vs $2,913 in Phuket, rent included.

Buraydah is about 2% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Buraydah and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Buraydah 10% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.38 SAR 50.3

$4.66 ฿154

187.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.45 SAR 152

$32.22 ฿1,065

25.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 SAR 30.87

$8.68 ฿287

-5.30%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 SAR 7.13

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 SAR 5.10

Cappuccino

$3.58 SAR 13.45

$2.90 ฿95.8

23.45%

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

$0.76 SAR 2.85

$0.84 ฿27.89

-9.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.96

$0.49 ฿16.16

-46.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 SAR 6.17

$1.89 ฿62.3

-13.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.15 SAR 4.30

$1.41 ฿46.54

-18.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.47 SAR 9.27

$1.62 ฿53.6

52.47%

Eggs

$2.91 SAR 10.92

$2.24 ฿74.1

29.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.54 SAR 32.07

$19.84 ฿656

-56.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.61 SAR 24.83

$3.48 ฿115

89.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.49 SAR 50.7

$11.37 ฿376

18.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 SAR 8.69

$2.90 ฿95.8

-20.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 SAR 6.89

$1.72 ฿57.0

6.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 SAR 6.48

$2.27 ฿75.1

-23.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 SAR 6.20

$2.13 ฿70.4

-22.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 SAR 5.27

$1.47 ฿48.72

-4.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 SAR 5.14

$1.42 ฿46.92

-3.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 SAR 4.10

$1.10 ฿36.25

-0.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 SAR 2.29

$0.60 ฿19.76

1.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.88 SAR 7.06

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 SAR 5.76

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 SAR 9.72

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.52 SAR 24.49

$4.31 ฿142

51.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.95

$2.25 ฿74.2

-53.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.26 SAR 132

$23.49 ฿776

50.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 SAR 10.17

$3.10 ฿102

-12.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.69 SAR 10.10

$1.08 ฿35.56

149.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.88 SAR 63.4

$3.87 ฿128

336.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.22

$1.43 ฿47.16

-58.74%

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

$41.4K SAR 155.6K

$27.8K ฿918.0K

49.14%

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

$23.2K SAR 87.2K

$27.0K ฿891.5K

-13.98%

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

$71.7 SAR 269

$105 ฿3,462

-31.61%

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

$32.13 SAR 121

$11.39 ฿376

182.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.0 SAR 266

$17.54 ฿580

304.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$133 SAR 500

$54.3 ฿1,795

145.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.59 SAR 137

$11.44 ฿378

219.84%

Cinema Ticket

$15.33 SAR 57.6

$7.78 ฿257

97.04%

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

$266 SAR 999

$576 ฿19.0K

-53.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,788 SAR 14.2K

$11.6K ฿382.7K

-67.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.5 SAR 193

$63.6 ฿2,103

-19.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.1 SAR 218

$29.10 ฿961

99.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 SAR 299

$96.2 ฿3,179

-17.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.1 SAR 263

$90.0 ฿2,974

-22.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$694 SAR 2,607

$733 ฿24.2K

-5.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$331 SAR 1,244

$501 ฿16.5K

-33.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$886 SAR 3,328

$2,126 ฿70.2K

-58.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$820 SAR 3,081

$1,252 ฿41.4K

-34.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,400 SAR 9,012

$3,534 ฿116.8K

-32.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 SAR 5,236

$2,622 ฿86.6K

-46.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,506 SAR 9,410

$508 ฿16.8K

393.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.98

5.57

-28.55%

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

Last update for Buraydah: September 7, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $694 in Buraydah 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 394% higher in Buraydah, 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 $40.00 in Buraydah versus $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $205 in Buraydah vs $275 in Phuket – so Buraydah 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

Buraydah vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 2% more than Buraydah, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,852 per month in Buraydah 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 Buraydah, 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 $1,235 in Buraydah and $1,265 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 50% less in Buraydah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Buraydah, where all-in costs run around $1,235, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Buraydah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Buraydah costs $1,235 versus $1,265 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Buraydah. 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.