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: $974 in Mecca versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,454 in Mecca versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,935 in Mecca versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in Mecca costs roughly 22% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mecca 29% lower, Phuket 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 SAR 17.38

$4.56 ฿151

1.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.73 SAR 100

$32.62 ฿1,082

-18.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.72 SAR 25.23

$8.90 ฿295

-24.49%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.52 SAR 5.71

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 SAR 5.72

Cappuccino

$2.62 SAR 9.83

$2.80 ฿93.0

-6.43%

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

$0.67 SAR 2.53

$0.88 ฿29.19

-23.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 SAR 0.86

$0.49 ฿16.23

-53.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿79.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿123

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 SAR 6.71

$1.79 ฿59.3

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 SAR 3.51

$1.44 ฿47.81

-34.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 SAR 8.22

$1.58 ฿52.6

38.61%

Eggs

$2.39 SAR 8.98

$2.13 ฿70.5

12.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.20 SAR 23.27

$19.92 ฿661

-68.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.26 SAR 31.03

$3.43 ฿114

140.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 SAR 47.31

$11.33 ฿376

11.21%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 SAR 7.43

$2.95 ฿97.8

-32.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 SAR 6.27

$1.72 ฿57.1

-2.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 SAR 5.59

$2.32 ฿77.1

-35.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 SAR 6.29

$2.08 ฿69.0

-19.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 SAR 4.32

$1.47 ฿48.77

-21.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 SAR 5.10

$1.36 ฿45.05

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 SAR 3.86

$1.10 ฿36.45

-6.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 SAR 1.89

$0.57 ฿19.06

-12.28%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.07 SAR 15.29

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 SAR 6.69

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 SAR 8.14

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.66 SAR 25.01

$4.27 ฿142

55.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿611

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿62.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.9

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.34 SAR 5.04

$2.22 ฿73.6

-39.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 SAR 6.81

$3.03 ฿101

-40.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 SAR 6.56

$1.07 ฿35.63

63.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.42 SAR 50.4

$3.93 ฿130

241.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.27

$1.49 ฿49.49

-59.73%

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

$47.0K SAR 176.3K

$27.1K ฿899.8K

73.12%

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

$21.4K SAR 80.3K

$27.5K ฿910.6K

-22.15%

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

$75.9 SAR 285

$103 ฿3,410

-26.18%

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

$35.20 SAR 132

$10.99 ฿365

220.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.6 SAR 254

$17.51 ฿581

286.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.5 SAR 295

$53.5 ฿1,776

46.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.37 SAR 129

$11.20 ฿371

206.88%

Cinema Ticket

$12.08 SAR 45.37

$7.48 ฿248

61.50%

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

$391 SAR 1,467

$557 ฿18.5K

-29.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,570 SAR 17.2K

$11.9K ฿393.2K

-61.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.43 SAR 84.2

$64.1 ฿2,125

-64.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.6 SAR 220

$29.07 ฿964

101.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.48 SAR 182

$96.0 ฿3,183

-49.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.9 SAR 191

$90.3 ฿2,997

-43.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$576 SAR 2,161

$730 ฿24.2K

-21.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$319 SAR 1,198

$500 ฿16.6K

-36.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,512 SAR 5,676

$2,090 ฿69.3K

-27.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 SAR 1,904

$1,209 ฿40.1K

-58.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,435 SAR 24.2K

$3,596 ฿119.3K

78.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,299 SAR 8,632

$2,512 ฿83.3K

-8.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 SAR 4,062

$503 ฿16.7K

114.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.25

5.57

-5.75%

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

Last update for Mecca: August 30, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $576 in Mecca and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mecca pays 115% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $27.00 in Mecca vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $194 vs $273 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, Getting Around. The 29% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 115% 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: $576 in Mecca versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 41% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $974 per month in Mecca versus $1,253 in Phuket – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $974 in Mecca versus $1,253 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 29% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.