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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,461 per month in Fujairah vs $1,264 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,385 per month in Fujairah vs $2,256 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,310 per month in Fujairah vs $3,248 in Phuket, rent included.

Fujairah costs about 16% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Fujairah sits 10% above the global median, while Phuket is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.87 AED 25.22

$4.48 ฿150

53.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.24 AED 148

$45.59 ฿1,521

-11.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.64 AED 24.40

$8.76 ฿292

-24.20%

Cappuccino

$5.58 AED 20.49

$2.97 ฿99.0

87.88%

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

$0.73 AED 2.67

$0.69 ฿22.90

5.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 AED 1.92

$0.39 ฿13.04

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.74 AED 39.46

$2.53 ฿84.4

324.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.07 AED 37.00

$3.75 ฿125

168.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 AED 6.07

$2.15 ฿71.6

-23.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 AED 4.88

$1.82 ฿60.6

-26.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 AED 6.60

$2.18 ฿72.9

-17.43%

Eggs

$2.29 AED 8.40

$2.25 ฿75.0

1.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.87 AED 47.27

$20.00 ฿667

-35.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.61 AED 27.95

$3.63 ฿121

109.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.61 AED 57.3

$13.56 ฿452

15.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 AED 8.19

$3.24 ฿108

-31.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 AED 6.41

$1.64 ฿54.6

6.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 AED 5.75

$2.33 ฿77.8

-32.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.32 AED 4.85

$2.07 ฿69.1

-36.23%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 AED 3.59

$1.55 ฿51.6

-36.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 AED 3.68

$1.46 ฿48.54

-31.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.74 AED 6.40

$0.98 ฿32.86

77.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 AED 1.97

$0.48 ฿16.09

12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.28 AED 23.05

$4.35 ฿145

44.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.53 AED 49.69

$18.57 ฿620

-27.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 AED 9.74

$1.86 ฿61.9

42.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 AED 7.80

$2.65 ฿88.6

-20.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.66 AED 6.11

$1.42 ฿47.28

16.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.7 AED 194

$11.57 ฿386

355.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 AED 5.66

$3.17 ฿106

-51.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 AED 2.38

$1.03 ฿34.41

-36.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 AED 29.46

$13.89 ฿463

-42.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 AED 2.86

$1.34 ฿44.84

-41.79%

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

$45.2K AED 165.9K

$27.8K ฿927.1K

62.53%

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

$22.3K AED 82.0K

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-33.13%

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

$146 AED 537

$123 ฿4,105

18.79%

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

$44.24 AED 162

$13.77 ฿459

221.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$102 AED 373

$18.33 ฿611

453.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.94 AED 65.9

$60.7 ฿2,025

-70.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.95 AED 147

$17.16 ฿573

132.81%

Cinema Ticket

$8.84 AED 32.45

$8.87 ฿296

-0.34%

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

$219 AED 803

$688 ฿22.9K

-68.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,253 AED 19.3K

$15.8K ฿526.4K

-66.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$114 AED 419

$59.3 ฿1,978

92.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.4 AED 200

$34.69 ฿1,157

56.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 AED 510

$115 ฿3,843

20.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 AED 507

$83.8 ฿2,794

64.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$535 AED 1,966

$621 ฿20.7K

-13.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$413 AED 1,516

$446 ฿14.9K

-7.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,487 AED 5,461

$2,034 ฿67.8K

-26.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,075 AED 3,949

$1,496 ฿49.9K

-28.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,765 AED 13.8K

$494 ฿16.5K

662.72%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $535 in Fujairah versus $621 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 663% 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 $40.00 in Fujairah versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $291 – 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: $1,461 in Fujairah, $1,264 in Phuket – roughly 16% apart. Fujairah costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,191 per month in Fujairah and $1,896 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 $219 per month in Fujairah and $688 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% 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 $1,264, than in Fujairah at $1,461. 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 $1,264 in Phuket to $1,461 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.