Cost of Living Comparison Between Hawalli and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Hawalli and Phuket

Name: Phuket
Address: Phuket, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,107 per month in Hawalli vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,032 per month in Hawalli vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,957 per month in Hawalli vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

Hawalli is about 11% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Hawalli and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Hawalli 17% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.84 KWD 1.49

$4.55 ฿153

6.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 KWD 21.12

$46.18 ฿1,554

48.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.91 KWD 2.74

$8.84 ฿298

0.79%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 KWD 0.74

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 KWD 1.01

Cappuccino

$4.42 KWD 1.36

$3.06 ฿103

44.44%

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

$0.56 KWD 0.17

$0.73 ฿24.42

-23.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 KWD 0.10

$0.40 ฿13.40

-20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 KWD 0.48

$2.26 ฿76.0

-30.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 KWD 0.39

$1.81 ฿60.9

-30.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 KWD 0.54

$2.25 ฿75.8

-21.33%

Eggs

$2.01 KWD 0.62

$2.25 ฿75.6

-10.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.29 KWD 1.01

$19.51 ฿656

-83.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.24 KWD 0.99

$3.65 ฿123

-11.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.67 KWD 1.74

$13.05 ฿439

-56.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 KWD 0.73

$3.23 ฿109

-26.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 KWD 0.60

$1.62 ฿54.4

20.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 KWD 0.56

$2.38 ฿80.2

-23.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 KWD 0.46

$2.03 ฿68.2

-26.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 KWD 0.37

$1.53 ฿51.6

-20.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 KWD 0.40

$1.50 ฿50.5

-13.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.67 KWD 0.51

$0.98 ฿32.93

70.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.32 KWD 0.10

$0.52 ฿17.40

-38.46%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.14 KWD 0.96

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 KWD 0.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 KWD 0.91

$4.44 ฿149

-32.88%

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)

$0.79 KWD 0.24

$1.41 ฿47.49

-43.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.23 KWD 15.13

$11.70 ฿394

320.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 KWD 0.98

$3.11 ฿105

2.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.17 KWD 0.97

$1.04 ฿35.08

204.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.10 KWD 4.95

$14.11 ฿475

14.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.37 KWD 0.11

$1.31 ฿44.13

-71.76%

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

$21.5K KWD 6,603

$27.8K ฿936.0K

-22.78%

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

$19.9K KWD 6,112

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-40.15%

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

$63.5 KWD 19.53

$122 ฿4,120

-48.12%

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

$18.61 KWD 5.72

$13.59 ฿457

36.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.20 KWD 8.05

$18.70 ฿629

40.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.82 KWD 15.31

$60.5 ฿2,035

-17.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.07 KWD 14.16

$16.98 ฿572

171.32%

Cinema Ticket

$9.93 KWD 3.05

$9.07 ฿305

9.48%

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

$409 KWD 126

$706 ฿23.8K

-42.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,711 KWD 2,063

$15.8K ฿531.8K

-57.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.40 KWD 9.96

$58.6 ฿1,970

-44.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.93 KWD 13.20

$35.36 ฿1,190

21.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.5 KWD 26.91

$115 ฿3,885

-24.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 KWD 25.51

$83.7 ฿2,818

-0.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$580 KWD 178

$626 ฿21.1K

-7.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$489 KWD 150

$445 ฿15.0K

9.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$999 KWD 307

$2,040 ฿68.7K

-51.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,212 KWD 987

$1,492 ฿50.2K

115.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,852 KWD 569

$500 ฿16.8K

270.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.14

5.33

33.96%

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

Last update for Hawalli: July 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $580 in Hawalli 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 271% higher in Hawalli, 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 $69.0 in Hawalli versus $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $141 in Hawalli vs $289 in Phuket – so Hawalli 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

Hawalli vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,107 in Hawalli, $1,250 in Phuket – roughly 13% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,660 per month in Hawalli 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 Hawalli, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 104% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Hawalli and $46.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Hawalli, where all-in costs run around $1,107, than in Phuket at $1,250. In Hawalli it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket 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 $1,107 in Hawalli to $1,250 in Phuket. 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 Hawalli. 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.