Cost of Living Comparison Between Janub-as-surrah and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Janub-as-surrah and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,323 in Janub-as-surrah versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,196 in Janub-as-surrah versus $2,255 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,069 in Janub-as-surrah versus $3,279 in Phuket.

Living in Janub-as-surrah is roughly 7% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Janub-as-surrah 1% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.54 KWD 2.32

$4.63 ฿151

62.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.7 KWD 18.08

$46.84 ฿1,523

25.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.42 KWD 2.59

$8.84 ฿287

-4.75%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 KWD 0.77

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 KWD 1.09

Cappuccino

$5.25 KWD 1.62

$3.00 ฿97.4

75.00%

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

$0.59 KWD 0.18

$0.74 ฿24.11

-20.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 KWD 0.10

$0.37 ฿11.88

-10.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 KWD 0.44

$2.26 ฿73.5

-36.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 KWD 0.32

$1.84 ฿59.8

-43.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 KWD 0.51

$2.24 ฿73.0

-26.79%

Eggs

$2.06 KWD 0.63

$2.32 ฿75.3

-11.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.46 KWD 1.37

$19.67 ฿639

-77.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.67 KWD 2.06

$3.65 ฿119

82.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.81 KWD 3.02

$13.10 ฿426

-25.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 KWD 0.71

$3.39 ฿110

-31.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 KWD 0.49

$1.64 ฿53.4

-2.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 KWD 0.48

$2.41 ฿78.5

-34.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 KWD 0.42

$2.03 ฿66.0

-32.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 KWD 0.37

$1.56 ฿50.6

-22.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 KWD 0.35

$1.50 ฿48.66

-24.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 KWD 0.50

$1.02 ฿33.30

57.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 KWD 0.13

$0.49 ฿15.91

-12.24%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 KWD 0.41

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.91 KWD 0.90

$4.45 ฿145

-34.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿614

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿57.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿89.5

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 KWD 0.26

$1.40 ฿45.54

-39.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.82 KWD 13.80

$11.48 ฿373

290.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 KWD 1.01

$3.12 ฿101

5.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.23 KWD 0.99

$1.00 ฿32.48

223.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.11 KWD 4.96

$14.09 ฿458

14.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.34 KWD 0.10

$1.35 ฿43.93

-74.81%

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

$20.7K KWD 6,369

$27.2K ฿883.7K

-23.93%

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

$19.0K KWD 5,841

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-42.39%

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

$62.4 KWD 19.21

$125 ฿4,063

-50.09%

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

$18.21 KWD 5.61

$13.57 ฿441

34.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.33 KWD 7.80

$18.52 ฿602

36.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$93.5 KWD 28.79

$61.5 ฿1,999

52.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.37 KWD 14.28

$16.84 ฿547

175.36%

Cinema Ticket

$11.46 KWD 3.53

$9.19 ฿299

24.70%

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

$278 KWD 85.7

$698 ฿22.7K

-60.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,984 KWD 1,843

$15.6K ฿506.9K

-61.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.32 KWD 13.03

$57.8 ฿1,878

-26.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.41 KWD 13.06

$35.24 ฿1,146

20.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.1 KWD 26.84

$113 ฿3,677

-22.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.2 KWD 24.71

$86.4 ฿2,808

-7.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 KWD 246

$616 ฿20.0K

29.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$616 KWD 190

$446 ฿14.5K

38.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,565 KWD 482

$2,048 ฿66.6K

-23.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 KWD 404

$1,492 ฿48.5K

-12.12%

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)

$524 ฿17.0K

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 Janub-as-surrah: April 28, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $800 in Janub-as-surrah and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $59.0 in Janub-as-surrah vs $47.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $167 vs $292, with Janub-as-surrah cheaper for home cooking.

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

Janub-as-surrah vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in Janub-as-surrah. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,985 in Janub-as-surrah and $1,847 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $800 in Janub-as-surrah versus $616 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,323 per month in Janub-as-surrah versus $1,232 in Phuket – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 290% less than in Janub-as-surrah. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,323 in Janub-as-surrah, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Janub-as-surrah. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,232 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Janub-as-surrah and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Janub-as-surrah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.