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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,185 per month in Buraydah vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,980 per month in Buraydah vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,775 per month in Buraydah vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Buraydah is about 6% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Buraydah and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Buraydah 12% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.73 SAR 47.78

$4.70 ฿153

170.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.83 SAR 150

$45.37 ฿1,482

-12.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 SAR 27.87

$8.43 ฿275

-11.86%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.62 SAR 6.10

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 SAR 5.58

Cappuccino

$3.69 SAR 13.86

$2.93 ฿95.6

25.94%

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

$0.74 SAR 2.76

$0.69 ฿22.40

7.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.97

$0.37 ฿11.99

-29.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 SAR 6.24

$2.23 ฿72.9

-25.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 SAR 4.10

$1.83 ฿59.8

-40.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.58 SAR 9.68

$2.17 ฿70.8

18.89%

Eggs

$2.53 SAR 9.51

$2.21 ฿72.3

14.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.23 SAR 30.90

$19.74 ฿645

-58.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.66 SAR 25.00

$3.63 ฿119

83.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.67 SAR 51.3

$13.53 ฿442

1.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.46 SAR 9.22

$3.28 ฿107

-25.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 SAR 6.98

$1.61 ฿52.6

15.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 SAR 5.43

$2.41 ฿78.6

-39.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 SAR 6.25

$2.08 ฿68.1

-19.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 SAR 5.34

$1.53 ฿49.93

-7.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 SAR 5.62

$1.48 ฿48.36

1.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 SAR 4.20

$0.99 ฿32.29

13.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 SAR 2.44

$0.51 ฿16.67

27.45%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.92 SAR 7.22

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 SAR 5.47

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 SAR 9.71

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.25 SAR 23.46

$4.41 ฿144

41.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 SAR 3.90

$1.37 ฿44.79

-24.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.65 SAR 149

$11.39 ฿372

248.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 SAR 10.09

$3.02 ฿98.6

-10.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

$0.99 ฿32.48

86.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.87 SAR 63.3

$14.10 ฿461

19.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.23

$1.36 ฿44.51

-56.62%

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

$26.8K SAR 100.5K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-5.02%

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

$24.2K SAR 90.8K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-26.48%

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

$75.8 SAR 284

$122 ฿3,975

-37.74%

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

$29.84 SAR 112

$13.57 ฿443

119.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.7 SAR 262

$18.31 ฿598

280.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$102 SAR 383

$60.2 ฿1,967

69.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.97 SAR 131

$17.14 ฿560

104.03%

Cinema Ticket

$16.24 SAR 60.9

$8.69 ฿284

86.88%

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

$262 SAR 984

$693 ฿22.6K

-62.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,720 SAR 14.0K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-76.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.6 SAR 194

$59.5 ฿1,944

-13.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$74.5 SAR 279

$34.77 ฿1,136

114.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.8 SAR 307

$115 ฿3,743

-28.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.9 SAR 262

$83.3 ฿2,720

-16.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$634 SAR 2,379

$613 ฿20.0K

3.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$338 SAR 1,267

$437 ฿14.3K

-22.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$749 SAR 2,812

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-64.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$808 SAR 3,033

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-46.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,323 SAR 8,717

$3,749 ฿122.5K

-38.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,329 SAR 4,988

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-49.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,826 SAR 10.6K

$508 ฿16.6K

456.09%

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 Buraydah: June 2, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $634 in Buraydah versus $613 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 456% 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 $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $204 vs $293 – making Buraydah 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

Buraydah vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 7% more than Buraydah, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,777 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 $1,185 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 248% 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 $1,185, 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 $1,185 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.