Cost of Living Comparison Between Doha and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Doha and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,944 per month in Doha vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,080 per month in Doha vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,216 per month in Doha vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

Doha costs about 56% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Doha sits 46% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.76 QAR 24.61

$4.55 ฿153

48.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.0 QAR 197

$46.18 ฿1,554

16.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.96 QAR 25.35

$8.84 ฿298

-21.27%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.62 QAR 42.29

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.90 QAR 39.66

Cappuccino

$4.97 QAR 18.10

$3.06 ฿103

62.42%

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

$0.86 QAR 3.13

$0.73 ฿24.42

17.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 QAR 1.20

$0.40 ฿13.40

-17.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

Milk (1 liter)

$2.04 QAR 7.44

$2.26 ฿76.0

-9.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 QAR 5.95

$1.81 ฿60.9

-9.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 QAR 8.01

$2.25 ฿75.8

-2.22%

Eggs

$2.67 QAR 9.70

$2.25 ฿75.6

18.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.57 QAR 42.12

$19.51 ฿656

-40.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 QAR 28.80

$3.65 ฿123

116.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 QAR 39.04

$13.05 ฿439

-17.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 QAR 7.40

$3.23 ฿109

-37.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 QAR 5.91

$1.62 ฿54.4

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 QAR 5.56

$2.38 ฿80.2

-35.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 QAR 5.06

$2.03 ฿68.2

-31.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 QAR 3.77

$1.53 ฿51.6

-32.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 QAR 4.07

$1.50 ฿50.5

-25.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 QAR 4.86

$0.98 ฿32.93

36.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 QAR 1.75

$0.52 ฿17.40

-7.69%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$10.16 QAR 37.00

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 QAR 6.74

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 QAR 10.89

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.35 QAR 23.12

$4.44 ฿149

43.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 QAR 2.08

$1.41 ฿47.49

-59.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.81 QAR 119

$11.70 ฿394

180.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 QAR 8.15

$3.11 ฿105

-27.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 QAR 7.77

$1.04 ฿35.08

104.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.68 QAR 49.81

$14.11 ฿475

-3.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 QAR 2.15

$1.31 ฿44.13

-54.96%

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

$22.2K QAR 80.9K

$27.8K ฿936.0K

-20.12%

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

$20.4K QAR 74.3K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-38.53%

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

$93.4 QAR 340

$122 ฿4,120

-23.71%

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

$37.55 QAR 137

$13.59 ฿457

176.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.7 QAR 323

$18.70 ฿629

374.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$120 QAR 435

$60.5 ฿2,035

97.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.64 QAR 115

$16.98 ฿572

86.34%

Cinema Ticket

$12.46 QAR 45.34

$9.07 ฿305

37.38%

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

$802 QAR 2,918

$706 ฿23.8K

13.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K QAR 42.3K

$15.8K ฿531.8K

-26.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.1 QAR 223

$58.6 ฿1,970

4.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 QAR 200

$35.36 ฿1,190

55.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 QAR 365

$115 ฿3,885

-13.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.2 QAR 328

$83.7 ฿2,818

7.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,638 QAR 5,963

$626 ฿21.1K

161.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,064 QAR 3,872

$445 ฿15.0K

138.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,901 QAR 10.6K

$2,040 ฿68.7K

42.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 QAR 7,636

$1,492 ฿50.2K

40.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,212 QAR 15.3K

$3,483 ฿117.2K

20.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,509 QAR 9,134

$2,577 ฿86.7K

-2.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,128 QAR 11.4K

$500 ฿16.8K

525.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.08

5.33

14.07%

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

Last update for Doha: July 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,638 in Doha versus $626 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 526% higher in Doha, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Doha versus $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $212 in Doha vs $289 in Phuket – so Doha 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

Doha vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Doha is pricier by about 56%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,916 per month in Doha and $1,875 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 180% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $802 per month in Doha and $706 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 Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,250, than in Doha at $1,944. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Doha it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Phuket – 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 Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Doha makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.