Cost of Living Comparison Between Mahboula and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Mahboula and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,251 in Mahboula versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,031 in Mahboula versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,810 in Mahboula versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Mahboula costs roughly 1% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mahboula 7% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.71 KWD 2.06

$4.56 ฿149

47.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.36 KWD 8.10

$46.63 ฿1,519

-43.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.94 KWD 2.75

$8.47 ฿276

5.55%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.62 KWD 0.50

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 KWD 1.02

Cappuccino

$5.88 KWD 1.81

$3.03 ฿98.6

94.06%

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

$0.51 KWD 0.16

$0.69 ฿22.45

-26.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.14 KWD 0.04

$0.37 ฿11.92

-62.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 KWD 0.49

$2.18 ฿71.0

-26.15%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 KWD 0.29

$1.90 ฿62.0

-50.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 KWD 0.55

$2.20 ฿71.6

-18.64%

Eggs

$1.34 KWD 0.41

$2.22 ฿72.4

-39.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.11 KWD 1.57

$19.99 ฿651

-74.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.32 KWD 1.94

$3.66 ฿119

72.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.19 KWD 3.13

$13.25 ฿432

-23.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 KWD 0.74

$3.23 ฿105

-25.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 KWD 0.60

$1.70 ฿55.3

14.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 KWD 0.53

$2.39 ฿78.0

-27.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.11 KWD 0.34

$2.08 ฿67.7

-46.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 KWD 0.37

$1.59 ฿51.8

-23.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 KWD 0.34

$1.48 ฿48.31

-25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 KWD 0.49

$1.03 ฿33.54

56.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 KWD 0.14

$0.52 ฿16.83

-11.54%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.30 KWD 1.02

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 KWD 0.41

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.58 KWD 0.49

$4.25 ฿138

-62.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 KWD 0.24

$1.36 ฿44.32

-42.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.84 KWD 15.00

$11.36 ฿370

329.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.65 KWD 0.51

$3.14 ฿102

-47.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 KWD 0.51

$1.04 ฿33.74

58.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.89 KWD 1.81

$13.77 ฿448

-57.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.16 KWD 0.05

$1.34 ฿43.79

-88.06%

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

$19.5K KWD 6,000

$27.7K ฿901.4K

-29.43%

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

$17.7K KWD 5,439

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-47.72%

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

$61.3 KWD 18.84

$124 ฿4,025

-50.38%

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

$16.24 KWD 4.99

$13.52 ฿440

20.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.02 KWD 7.99

$18.69 ฿609

39.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.5 KWD 29.33

$61.8 ฿2,013

54.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.19 KWD 14.50

$17.25 ฿562

173.57%

Cinema Ticket

$11.34 KWD 3.48

$9.14 ฿298

24.07%

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

$399 KWD 123

$703 ฿22.9K

-43.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,527 KWD 2,005

$15.9K ฿517.0K

-58.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.71 KWD 13.12

$59.5 ฿1,937

-28.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.75 KWD 13.13

$35.07 ฿1,142

21.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.1 KWD 26.76

$115 ฿3,754

-24.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.2 KWD 24.65

$84.1 ฿2,737

-4.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$746 KWD 229

$619 ฿20.1K

20.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 KWD 156

$433 ฿14.1K

17.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,792 KWD 551

$2,062 ฿67.2K

-13.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,150 KWD 353

$1,511 ฿49.2K

-23.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,318 KWD 405

$507 ฿16.5K

160.02%

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 Mahboula: June 9, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $746 in Mahboula and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mahboula pays 160% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $26.00 in Mahboula vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $170 vs $293 per month, with Mahboula 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

Mahboula vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mahboula is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Mahboula pays 160% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $746 in Mahboula versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Mahboula – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,251 per month in Mahboula versus $1,261 in Phuket – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,251 in Mahboula versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mahboula but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Mahboula the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mahboula is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Mahboula 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 Mahboula gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.