Cost of Living Comparison Between Medina and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Medina and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,478 per month in Medina vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,848 per month in Medina vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,219 per month in Medina vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Medina costs about 17% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Medina sits 10% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.48 SAR 20.55

$4.70 ฿153

16.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.47 SAR 118

$45.37 ฿1,482

-30.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.18 SAR 30.68

$8.43 ฿275

-2.97%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.64 SAR 6.17

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 SAR 6.62

Cappuccino

$2.55 SAR 9.56

$2.93 ฿95.6

-12.97%

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

$0.82 SAR 3.07

$0.69 ฿22.40

18.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 SAR 1.45

$0.37 ฿11.99

5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 SAR 6.11

$2.23 ฿72.9

-26.91%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 SAR 3.68

$1.83 ฿59.8

-46.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 SAR 8.88

$2.17 ฿70.8

9.22%

Eggs

$2.12 SAR 7.97

$2.21 ฿72.3

-4.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.49 SAR 24.35

$19.74 ฿645

-67.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.96 SAR 26.13

$3.63 ฿119

91.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 SAR 47.44

$13.53 ฿442

-6.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.41 SAR 9.05

$3.28 ฿107

-26.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 SAR 7.94

$1.61 ฿52.6

31.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.26 SAR 8.49

$2.41 ฿78.6

-6.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.14

$2.08 ฿68.1

-21.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 SAR 5.15

$1.53 ฿49.93

-10.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 SAR 5.45

$1.48 ฿48.36

-2.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 SAR 3.70

$0.99 ฿32.29

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 SAR 3.27

$0.51 ฿16.67

70.59%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.31 SAR 4.91

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.43

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 SAR 6.18

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.58 SAR 28.44

$4.41 ฿144

71.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.93

$1.37 ฿44.79

-23.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.18 SAR 140

$11.39 ฿372

226.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 SAR 4.91

$3.02 ฿98.6

-56.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 SAR 6.16

$0.99 ฿32.48

65.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.46 SAR 20.48

$14.10 ฿461

-61.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.41

$1.36 ฿44.51

-52.94%

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

$21.1K SAR 79.3K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-25.06%

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

$21.1K SAR 79.3K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-35.76%

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

$199 SAR 748

$122 ฿3,975

63.67%

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

$33.10 SAR 124

$13.57 ฿443

143.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$104 SAR 392

$18.31 ฿598

470.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.4 SAR 283

$60.2 ฿1,967

25.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.01 SAR 33.80

$17.14 ฿560

-47.43%

Cinema Ticket

$13.16 SAR 49.38

$8.69 ฿284

51.44%

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

$290 SAR 1,088

$693 ฿22.6K

-58.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,586 SAR 28.5K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-51.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.12 SAR 139

$59.5 ฿1,944

-37.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.3 SAR 196

$34.77 ฿1,136

50.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.8 SAR 247

$115 ฿3,743

-42.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.7 SAR 363

$83.3 ฿2,720

16.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 SAR 1,591

$613 ฿20.0K

-30.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$556 SAR 2,085

$437 ฿14.3K

27.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$711 SAR 2,670

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-66.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$412 SAR 1,547

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-72.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,340 SAR 8,782

$3,749 ฿122.5K

-37.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,313 SAR 4,929

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-49.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,316 SAR 4,940

$508 ฿16.6K

159.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-43.71%

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

Last update for Medina: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Medina versus $613 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 159% higher in Medina, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Medina versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $200 vs $293 – making Medina 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

Medina vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medina costs about 17% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,217 per month in Medina and $1,898 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $290 per month in Medina and $693 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 47% cheaper in Medina – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Medina at $1,478. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medina it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,265 versus $1,478 in Medina. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medina makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.