Cost of Living Comparison Between Fujairah and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Fujairah and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,462 per month in Fujairah vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,397 per month in Fujairah vs $2,255 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,332 per month in Fujairah vs $3,279 in Phuket, rent included.

Fujairah costs about 19% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Fujairah sits 9% above the global median, while Phuket is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.00 AED 25.69

$4.63 ฿151

51.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.28 AED 151

$46.84 ฿1,523

-11.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.89 AED 25.29

$8.84 ฿287

-22.06%

Cappuccino

$5.73 AED 21.04

$3.00 ฿97.4

91.00%

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

$0.71 AED 2.62

$0.74 ฿24.11

-4.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 AED 1.88

$0.37 ฿11.88

37.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.72 AED 39.35

$2.44 ฿79.3

339.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.38 AED 38.10

$3.61 ฿117

187.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 AED 6.08

$2.26 ฿73.5

-26.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 AED 4.88

$1.84 ฿59.8

-27.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 AED 6.31

$2.24 ฿73.0

-23.21%

Eggs

$2.22 AED 8.15

$2.32 ฿75.3

-4.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.72 AED 46.67

$19.67 ฿639

-35.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.66 AED 28.11

$3.65 ฿119

109.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.44 AED 56.7

$13.10 ฿426

17.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.22 AED 8.16

$3.39 ฿110

-34.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 AED 6.65

$1.64 ฿53.4

10.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 AED 5.44

$2.41 ฿78.5

-38.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.28 AED 4.68

$2.03 ฿66.0

-36.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 AED 3.75

$1.56 ฿50.6

-34.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 AED 3.85

$1.50 ฿48.66

-30.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.81 AED 6.63

$1.02 ฿33.30

77.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 AED 1.82

$0.49 ฿15.91

2.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.38 AED 23.41

$4.45 ฿145

43.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.40 AED 49.18

$18.88 ฿614

-29.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 AED 9.54

$1.78 ฿57.7

46.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 AED 7.89

$2.75 ฿89.5

-21.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.65 AED 6.06

$1.40 ฿45.54

17.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.6 AED 193

$11.48 ฿373

358.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 AED 5.64

$3.12 ฿101

-50.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 AED 2.40

$1.00 ฿32.48

-35.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.31 AED 30.48

$14.09 ฿458

-41.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 AED 2.84

$1.35 ฿43.93

-42.96%

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

$45.1K AED 165.6K

$27.2K ฿883.7K

65.97%

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

$22.4K AED 82.1K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-32.03%

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

$146 AED 537

$125 ฿4,063

17.16%

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

$44.07 AED 162

$13.57 ฿441

224.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$101 AED 369

$18.52 ฿602

442.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.52 AED 68.0

$61.5 ฿1,999

-69.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.99 AED 143

$16.84 ฿547

131.53%

Cinema Ticket

$8.80 AED 32.30

$9.19 ฿299

-4.24%

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

$221 AED 809

$698 ฿22.7K

-68.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,217 AED 19.1K

$15.6K ฿506.9K

-66.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$118 AED 432

$57.8 ฿1,878

103.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.0 AED 202

$35.24 ฿1,146

56.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 AED 499

$113 ฿3,677

20.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 AED 504

$86.4 ฿2,808

58.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$552 AED 2,026

$616 ฿20.0K

-10.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 AED 1,503

$446 ฿14.5K

-8.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,518 AED 5,572

$2,048 ฿66.6K

-25.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,101 AED 4,041

$1,492 ฿48.5K

-26.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿122.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,647 AED 13.4K

$524 ฿17.0K

596.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.88

5.33

-8.44%

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

Last update for Fujairah: April 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $552 in Fujairah versus $616 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 596% higher in Fujairah, 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 $41.00 in Fujairah versus $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $265 vs $292 – making Fujairah 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

Fujairah vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,462 in Fujairah, $1,232 in Phuket – roughly 19% apart. Fujairah costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,192 per month in Fujairah and $1,847 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.

Kindergarten costs $221 per month in Fujairah and $698 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 10% cheaper in Fujairah – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,232, than in Fujairah at $1,462. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fujairah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,232 in Phuket to $1,462 in Fujairah. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Fujairah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.