Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeddah and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeddah and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,202 per month in Jeddah vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,858 per month in Jeddah vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,514 per month in Jeddah vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Jeddah is about 5% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Jeddah and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Jeddah 10% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.54 SAR 24.53

$4.70 ฿153

39.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.72 SAR 153

$45.37 ฿1,482

-10.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.21 SAR 30.82

$8.43 ฿275

-2.61%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 SAR 8.23

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SAR 7.89

Cappuccino

$3.58 SAR 13.45

$2.93 ฿95.6

22.18%

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

$0.70 SAR 2.64

$0.69 ฿22.40

1.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 SAR 0.94

$0.37 ฿11.99

-32.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 SAR 6.51

$2.23 ฿72.9

-21.97%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 SAR 3.58

$1.83 ฿59.8

-47.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 SAR 8.61

$2.17 ฿70.8

5.99%

Eggs

$2.75 SAR 10.34

$2.21 ฿72.3

24.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.41 SAR 27.83

$19.74 ฿645

-62.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.64 SAR 28.69

$3.63 ฿119

110.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.34 SAR 46.33

$13.53 ฿442

-8.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.16 SAR 8.13

$3.28 ฿107

-34.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.90

$1.61 ฿52.6

-2.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.82

$2.41 ฿78.6

-35.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 SAR 5.78

$2.08 ฿68.1

-25.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 SAR 4.94

$1.53 ฿49.93

-13.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 SAR 4.54

$1.48 ฿48.36

-18.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 SAR 3.96

$0.99 ฿32.29

6.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 SAR 2.23

$0.51 ฿16.67

17.65%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.08 SAR 15.31

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 SAR 7.33

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 SAR 9.32

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.76 SAR 25.37

$4.41 ฿144

53.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 SAR 5.12

$1.37 ฿44.79

-0.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.64 SAR 149

$11.39 ฿372

248.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 SAR 12.13

$3.02 ฿98.6

6.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 SAR 7.07

$0.99 ฿32.48

89.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.36 SAR 57.7

$14.10 ฿461

8.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.37

$1.36 ฿44.51

-53.68%

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

$26.9K SAR 101.0K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-4.56%

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

$21.4K SAR 80.4K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-34.89%

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

$105 SAR 393

$122 ฿3,975

-13.87%

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

$32.31 SAR 121

$13.57 ฿443

138.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.1 SAR 263

$18.31 ฿598

282.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$90.9 SAR 341

$60.2 ฿1,967

50.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.17 SAR 170

$17.14 ฿560

163.54%

Cinema Ticket

$13.12 SAR 49.26

$8.69 ฿284

50.98%

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

$400 SAR 1,500

$693 ฿22.6K

-42.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,414 SAR 24.1K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-59.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.6 SAR 242

$59.5 ฿1,944

8.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.1 SAR 218

$34.77 ฿1,136

66.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.5 SAR 347

$115 ฿3,743

-19.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.4 SAR 317

$83.3 ฿2,720

1.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$501 SAR 1,881

$613 ฿20.0K

-18.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 SAR 1,464

$437 ฿14.3K

-10.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$899 SAR 3,375

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-57.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$618 SAR 2,321

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-59.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,625 SAR 6,100

$3,749 ฿122.5K

-56.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,014 SAR 3,805

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-61.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,657 SAR 6,219

$508 ฿16.6K

226.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

5.33

-15.57%

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

Last update for Jeddah: May 30, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $501 in Jeddah versus $613 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 226% higher in Jeddah, 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 $41.00 in Jeddah versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $196 vs $293 – making Jeddah 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

Jeddah vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,202 in Jeddah, $1,265 in Phuket – roughly 5% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,803 per month in Jeddah and $1,898 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $41.00 in Jeddah and $45.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,202 in Jeddah and $1,265 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Jeddah, where all-in costs run around $1,202, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Jeddah 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 $1,202 in Jeddah to $1,265 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 Jeddah. 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.