Cost of Living Comparison Between Mangaf and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Mangaf and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,217 per month in Mangaf vs $1,264 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,107 per month in Mangaf vs $2,256 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,997 per month in Mangaf vs $3,248 in Phuket, rent included.

Mangaf is about 4% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mangaf and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Mangaf 9% lower, Phuket 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.74 KWD 2.07

$4.48 ฿150

50.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.96 KWD 12.29

$45.59 ฿1,521

-12.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.83 KWD 2.72

$8.76 ฿292

0.80%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 KWD 0.74

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 KWD 1.10

Cappuccino

$5.57 KWD 1.71

$2.97 ฿99.0

87.54%

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

$0.31 KWD 0.10

$0.69 ฿22.90

-55.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 KWD 0.11

$0.39 ฿13.04

-10.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 KWD 0.49

$2.15 ฿71.6

-25.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 KWD 0.38

$1.82 ฿60.6

-31.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 KWD 0.55

$2.18 ฿72.9

-18.81%

Eggs

$2.02 KWD 0.62

$2.25 ฿75.0

-10.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.18 KWD 1.59

$20.00 ฿667

-74.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.61 KWD 2.03

$3.63 ฿121

82.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.16 KWD 3.13

$13.56 ฿452

-25.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 KWD 0.75

$3.24 ฿108

-25.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 KWD 0.61

$1.64 ฿54.6

20.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 KWD 0.55

$2.33 ฿77.8

-22.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 KWD 0.46

$2.07 ฿69.1

-27.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 KWD 0.37

$1.55 ฿51.6

-21.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 KWD 0.39

$1.46 ฿48.54

-13.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.63 KWD 0.50

$0.98 ฿32.86

66.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 KWD 0.14

$0.48 ฿16.09

-6.25%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.30 KWD 1.01

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)

$3.00 KWD 0.92

$4.35 ฿145

-31.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 KWD 0.26

$1.42 ฿47.28

-41.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.39 KWD 13.65

$11.57 ฿386

283.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.37 KWD 1.04

$3.17 ฿106

6.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.48 KWD 0.76

$1.03 ฿34.41

140.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.62 KWD 3.58

$13.89 ฿463

-16.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.34 KWD 0.11

$1.34 ฿44.84

-74.63%

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

$21.2K KWD 6,509

$27.8K ฿927.1K

-23.86%

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

$19.9K KWD 6,123

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-40.37%

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

$62.8 KWD 19.31

$123 ฿4,105

-48.99%

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

$18.22 KWD 5.60

$13.77 ฿459

32.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.25 KWD 8.08

$18.33 ฿611

43.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$94.4 KWD 29.02

$60.7 ฿2,025

55.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.35 KWD 14.26

$17.16 ฿573

170.10%

Cinema Ticket

$11.48 KWD 3.53

$8.87 ฿296

29.43%

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

$395 KWD 121

$688 ฿22.9K

-42.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,483 KWD 1,994

$15.8K ฿526.4K

-58.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.89 KWD 12.89

$59.3 ฿1,978

-29.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.19 KWD 13.29

$34.69 ฿1,157

24.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.3 KWD 27.46

$115 ฿3,843

-22.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.0 KWD 25.22

$83.8 ฿2,794

-2.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$572 KWD 176

$621 ฿20.7K

-8.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$472 KWD 145

$446 ฿14.9K

5.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,603 KWD 493

$2,034 ฿67.8K

-21.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 KWD 401

$1,496 ฿49.9K

-12.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

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 Mangaf: July 28, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $572 in Mangaf versus $621 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Mangaf versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $180 vs $291 – making Mangaf 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

Mangaf vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 4%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,825 per month in Mangaf and $1,896 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mangaf, 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 $40.00 in Mangaf and $46.00 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 $1,217 in Mangaf and $1,264 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Mangaf, where all-in costs run around $1,217, than in Phuket at $1,264. In Mangaf it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mangaf – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Mangaf. 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.