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: $221 in Matrah versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $363 in Matrah versus $2,255 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $505 in Matrah versus $3,279 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 84% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,523

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿287

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿97.4

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

$0.74 ฿24.11

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.88

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿117

Milk (1 liter)

$2.54 OMR 0.98

$2.26 ฿73.5

12.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 OMR 0.39

$1.84 ฿59.8

-45.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.67 OMR 1.02

$2.24 ฿73.0

19.20%

Eggs

$4.56 OMR 1.75

$2.32 ฿75.3

96.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.02 OMR 1.93

$19.67 ฿639

-74.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.09 OMR 1.95

$3.65 ฿119

39.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.73 OMR 2.97

$13.10 ฿426

-40.99%

Apples (1kg)

$1.33 OMR 0.51

$3.39 ฿110

-60.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 OMR 0.69

$1.64 ฿53.4

9.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 OMR 0.89

$2.41 ฿78.5

-3.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 OMR 0.48

$2.03 ฿66.0

-38.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 OMR 0.41

$1.56 ฿50.6

-31.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 OMR 0.42

$1.50 ฿48.66

-28.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.50 OMR 0.19

$1.02 ฿33.30

-50.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿15.91

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿614

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.26 OMR 1.64

$1.78 ฿57.7

139.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$15.80 OMR 6.07

$2.75 ฿89.5

474.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.54

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿373

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿101

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.48

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿458

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿43.93

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

$27.2K ฿883.7K

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

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

$125 ฿4,063

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

$13.57 ฿441

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿602

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿1,999

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿299

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

$698 ฿22.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿506.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,146

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,677

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,808

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿66.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿122.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.0K

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 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 458% 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 $331 in Matrah and $1,847 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 32% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $221 per month in Matrah versus $1,232 in Phuket – a 458% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $221 in Matrah versus $1,232 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 $221 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 458% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.