Cost of Living Comparison Between Madinat As Sultan Qaboos and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Madinat As Sultan Qaboos and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $935 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,410 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,885 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos costs roughly 25% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Madinat As Sultan Qaboos 32% lower, Phuket 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.35 OMR 2.06

$4.56 ฿150

17.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.65 OMR 12.95

$32.62 ฿1,072

3.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 OMR 3.05

$8.90 ฿293

-11.01%

Cappuccino

$4.89 OMR 1.88

$2.80 ฿92.2

74.64%

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

$0.85 OMR 0.33

$0.88 ฿28.93

-3.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 OMR 0.10

$0.49 ฿16.08

-44.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.04 OMR 5.02

$2.39 ฿78.5

445.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.75 OMR 4.91

$3.71 ฿122

243.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.29 OMR 0.88

$1.79 ฿58.7

27.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

$1.44 ฿47.38

-11.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 OMR 0.70

$1.58 ฿52.1

14.56%

Eggs

$2.89 OMR 1.11

$2.13 ฿69.9

35.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.61 OMR 2.93

$19.92 ฿655

-61.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.82 OMR 2.63

$3.43 ฿113

98.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.67 OMR 4.11

$11.33 ฿372

-5.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.49 OMR 1.34

$2.95 ฿96.9

18.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 OMR 0.73

$1.72 ฿56.6

10.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.34 OMR 0.90

$2.32 ฿76.4

0.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 OMR 0.48

$2.08 ฿68.4

-40.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 OMR 0.46

$1.47 ฿48.33

-17.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 OMR 0.48

$1.36 ฿44.64

-8.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.83 OMR 0.70

$1.10 ฿36.12

66.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 OMR 0.24

$0.57 ฿18.89

10.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.63 OMR 2.55

$4.27 ฿140

55.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.57 OMR 6.00

$18.42 ฿605

-15.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.44 OMR 2.09

$1.87 ฿61.5

190.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.69 OMR 3.34

$2.92 ฿96.0

197.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿72.9

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 OMR 1.24

$3.03 ฿99.6

5.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.59 OMR 1.00

$1.07 ฿35.31

142.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.94 OMR 3.06

$3.93 ฿129

102.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 OMR 0.25

$1.49 ฿49.04

-57.05%

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

$25.2K OMR 9,698

$27.1K ฿891.7K

-7.15%

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

$22.5K OMR 8,645

$27.5K ฿902.3K

-18.20%

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

$172 OMR 66.1

$103 ฿3,379

67.07%

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

$31.31 OMR 12.06

$10.99 ฿361

184.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.5 OMR 27.13

$17.51 ฿576

302.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,760

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$10.49 OMR 4.04

$7.48 ฿246

40.24%

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

$287 OMR 111

$557 ฿18.3K

-48.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K OMR 4,044

$11.9K ฿389.6K

-11.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 OMR 21.91

$64.1 ฿2,106

-11.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.63 OMR 16.80

$29.07 ฿956

50.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.3 OMR 34.39

$96.0 ฿3,154

-6.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.5 OMR 36.77

$90.3 ฿2,970

5.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.25

5.57

-5.75%

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

Last update for Madinat As Sultan Qaboos: September 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $34.00 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $284 vs $273 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

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

Madinat As Sultan Qaboos vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Madinat As Sultan Qaboos wins on cost – living expenses run 34% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Madinat As Sultan Qaboos the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,402 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos and $1,880 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.

Shoppers in Phuket pay roughly 4% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $935 per month in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos versus $1,253 in Phuket – a 34% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $935 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos versus $1,253 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Madinat As Sultan Qaboos the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Madinat As Sultan Qaboos delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $935 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Madinat As Sultan Qaboos hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Madinat As Sultan Qaboos 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 Madinat As Sultan Qaboos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.