Cost of Living Comparison Between Mishref and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Mishref and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,399 per month in Mishref vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,367 per month in Mishref vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,334 per month in Mishref vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Mishref costs about 11% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mishref sits 4% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.87 KWD 3.03

$4.70 ฿153

110.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.2 KWD 25.20

$45.37 ฿1,482

81.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.10 KWD 2.79

$8.43 ฿275

7.95%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.52 KWD 0.77

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 KWD 1.12

Cappuccino

$5.96 KWD 1.83

$2.93 ฿95.6

103.41%

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

$0.64 KWD 0.20

$0.69 ฿22.40

-7.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 KWD 0.10

$0.37 ฿11.99

-8.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 KWD 0.48

$2.23 ฿72.9

-30.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 KWD 0.38

$1.83 ฿59.8

-32.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 KWD 0.52

$2.17 ฿70.8

-21.66%

Eggs

$2.05 KWD 0.63

$2.21 ฿72.3

-7.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.34 KWD 1.64

$19.74 ฿645

-72.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.33 KWD 1.94

$3.63 ฿119

74.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.16 KWD 3.12

$13.53 ฿442

-24.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 KWD 0.72

$3.28 ฿107

-28.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 KWD 0.60

$1.61 ฿52.6

21.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 KWD 0.53

$2.41 ฿78.6

-28.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 KWD 0.45

$2.08 ฿68.1

-28.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 KWD 0.39

$1.53 ฿49.93

-16.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 KWD 0.39

$1.48 ฿48.36

-14.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.64 KWD 0.50

$0.99 ฿32.29

65.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 KWD 0.15

$0.51 ฿16.67

-3.92%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.30 KWD 1.01

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 KWD 0.41

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 KWD 0.91

$4.41 ฿144

-32.65%

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)

$0.84 KWD 0.26

$1.37 ฿44.79

-38.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.95 KWD 13.48

$11.39 ฿372

285.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.32 KWD 1.02

$3.02 ฿98.6

9.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.32 KWD 1.02

$0.99 ฿32.48

235.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.63 KWD 5.10

$14.10 ฿461

17.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.33 KWD 0.10

$1.36 ฿44.51

-75.74%

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

$20.9K KWD 6,405

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-25.95%

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

$19.7K KWD 6,050

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-40.04%

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

$61.6 KWD 18.90

$122 ฿3,975

-49.37%

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

$18.30 KWD 5.61

$13.57 ฿443

34.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.42 KWD 7.80

$18.31 ฿598

38.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$94.9 KWD 29.09

$60.2 ฿1,967

57.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.91 KWD 14.08

$17.14 ฿560

167.85%

Cinema Ticket

$11.51 KWD 3.53

$8.69 ฿284

32.45%

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

$397 KWD 122

$693 ฿22.6K

-42.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,616 KWD 2,029

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-57.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.67 KWD 12.78

$59.5 ฿1,944

-30.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.82 KWD 12.83

$34.77 ฿1,136

20.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 KWD 27.37

$115 ฿3,743

-22.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.9 KWD 24.82

$83.3 ฿2,720

-2.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$792 KWD 243

$613 ฿20.0K

29.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 KWD 185

$437 ฿14.3K

38.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,552 KWD 476

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-25.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,314 KWD 403

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-12.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.14

5.33

33.96%

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

Last update for Mishref: June 2, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $792 in Mishref 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $82.0 in Mishref versus $45.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $178 in Mishref vs $293 in Phuket – so Mishref wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Mishref vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mishref is pricier by about 11%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,099 per month in Mishref 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.

Public transport costs about 286% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $397 per month in Mishref and $693 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Mishref at $1,399. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mishref it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Mishref makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.