Cost of Living Comparison Between Matrah and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Matrah and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $223 in Matrah versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $364 in Matrah versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $506 in Matrah versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Matrah costs roughly 82% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Matrah 83% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$2.52 OMR 0.97

$2.18 ฿71.0

15.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$1.90 ฿62.0

-46.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.67 OMR 1.03

$2.20 ฿71.6

21.36%

Eggs

$4.63 OMR 1.78

$2.22 ฿72.4

108.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.84 OMR 1.86

$19.99 ฿651

-75.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.11 OMR 1.97

$3.66 ฿119

39.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.65 OMR 2.95

$13.25 ฿432

-42.26%

Apples (1kg)

$1.31 OMR 0.50

$3.23 ฿105

-59.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 OMR 0.69

$1.70 ฿55.3

5.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 OMR 0.91

$2.39 ฿78.0

-0.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 OMR 0.48

$2.08 ฿67.7

-40.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 OMR 0.41

$1.59 ฿51.8

-32.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$1.48 ฿48.31

-31.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.50 OMR 0.19

$1.03 ฿33.54

-51.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.04 OMR 1.56

$1.76 ฿57.2

129.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$15.49 OMR 5.96

$2.76 ฿89.8

461.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

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

$124 ฿4,025

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

$13.52 ฿440

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

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

$703 ฿22.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

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)

$507 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Matrah: June 9, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

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

Matrah vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Matrah wins on cost – living expenses run 466% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Matrah the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $334 in Matrah and $1,892 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 34% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $223 per month in Matrah versus $1,261 in Phuket – a 466% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $223 in Matrah versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Matrah but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Matrah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Matrah delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $223 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Matrah hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Matrah 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 Matrah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 466% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.