Cost of Living Comparison Between Mecca and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Mecca and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,041 in Mecca versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,881 in Mecca versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,721 in Mecca versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Mecca costs roughly 17% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mecca 22% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.88 SAR 18.32

$4.55 ฿153

7.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.07 SAR 150

$46.18 ฿1,554

-13.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.21 SAR 34.60

$8.84 ฿298

4.19%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.59 SAR 5.95

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 SAR 5.95

Cappuccino

$3.19 SAR 11.98

$3.06 ฿103

4.25%

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

$0.91 SAR 3.41

$0.73 ฿24.42

24.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.08

$0.40 ฿13.40

-27.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 SAR 6.25

$2.26 ฿76.0

-26.11%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 SAR 3.34

$1.81 ฿60.9

-50.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 SAR 8.49

$2.25 ฿75.8

0.44%

Eggs

$2.97 SAR 11.17

$2.25 ฿75.6

32.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.92 SAR 26.00

$19.51 ฿656

-64.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 SAR 32.23

$3.65 ฿123

135.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.57 SAR 51.0

$13.05 ฿439

3.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 SAR 8.67

$3.23 ฿109

-28.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.88

$1.62 ฿54.4

-3.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 SAR 7.02

$2.38 ฿80.2

-21.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 SAR 7.63

$2.03 ฿68.2

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 SAR 4.49

$1.53 ฿51.6

-21.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 SAR 4.57

$1.50 ฿50.5

-18.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 SAR 3.94

$0.98 ฿32.93

7.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 SAR 2.46

$0.52 ฿17.40

26.92%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.25 SAR 15.95

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.52

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 SAR 8.13

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.94 SAR 29.82

$4.44 ฿149

78.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 SAR 5.14

$1.41 ฿47.49

-2.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.83 SAR 150

$11.70 ฿394

240.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 SAR 8.83

$3.11 ฿105

-24.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 SAR 6.88

$1.04 ฿35.08

75.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.56 SAR 39.65

$14.11 ฿475

-25.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.22

$1.31 ฿44.13

-54.96%

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

$26.3K SAR 98.8K

$27.8K ฿936.0K

-5.41%

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

$20.9K SAR 78.6K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-37.01%

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

$77.1 SAR 289

$122 ฿4,120

-37.06%

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

$35.21 SAR 132

$13.59 ฿457

159.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.3 SAR 253

$18.70 ฿629

260.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$84.8 SAR 318

$60.5 ฿2,035

40.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.89 SAR 131

$16.98 ฿572

105.48%

Cinema Ticket

$18.68 SAR 70.1

$9.07 ฿305

105.95%

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

$399 SAR 1,500

$706 ฿23.8K

-43.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,631 SAR 17.4K

$15.8K ฿531.8K

-70.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.32 SAR 83.8

$58.6 ฿1,970

-61.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.5 SAR 239

$35.36 ฿1,190

79.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.2 SAR 222

$115 ฿3,885

-48.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.3 SAR 192

$83.7 ฿2,818

-38.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$226 SAR 849

$626 ฿21.1K

-63.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$290 SAR 1,090

$445 ฿15.0K

-34.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$686 SAR 2,576

$2,040 ฿68.7K

-66.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,041 SAR 3,909

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-30.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,389 SAR 24.0K

$3,483 ฿117.2K

83.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,305 SAR 8,656

$2,577 ฿86.7K

-10.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,089 SAR 4,088

$500 ฿16.8K

117.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

5.33

3.19%

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

Last update for Mecca: July 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $226 in Mecca and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mecca pays 118% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $40.00 in Mecca vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $208 vs $289 per month, with Mecca 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

Mecca vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mecca is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear. The 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 118% higher in Mecca, 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: $226 in Mecca versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,041 per month in Mecca versus $1,250 in Phuket – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mecca runs roughly 240% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,041 in Mecca versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mecca but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Mecca the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mecca 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, Mecca 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 Mecca gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.