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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,353 per month in Mishref vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,264 per month in Mishref vs $2,089 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,174 per month in Mishref vs $2,913 in Phuket, rent included.

Mishref costs about 7% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mishref and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Mishref 2% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.87 KWD 3.95

$4.66 ฿154

176.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.6 KWD 19.50

$32.22 ฿1,065

97.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.15 KWD 2.80

$8.68 ฿287

5.41%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 KWD 0.98

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.80 KWD 1.47

Cappuccino

$5.39 KWD 1.65

$2.90 ฿95.8

85.86%

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

$0.75 KWD 0.23

$0.84 ฿27.89

-10.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 KWD 0.11

$0.49 ฿16.16

-28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 KWD 0.48

$1.89 ฿62.3

-16.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 KWD 0.47

$1.41 ฿46.54

9.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 KWD 0.61

$1.62 ฿53.6

22.84%

Eggs

$2.06 KWD 0.63

$2.24 ฿74.1

-8.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.28 KWD 1.31

$19.84 ฿656

-78.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.63 KWD 2.03

$3.48 ฿115

90.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.19 KWD 3.13

$11.37 ฿376

-10.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.49 KWD 0.76

$2.90 ฿95.8

-14.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 KWD 0.57

$1.72 ฿57.0

8.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 KWD 0.55

$2.27 ฿75.1

-21.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 KWD 0.48

$2.13 ฿70.4

-26.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 KWD 0.41

$1.47 ฿48.72

-8.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 KWD 0.44

$1.42 ฿46.92

2.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.27 KWD 0.69

$1.10 ฿36.25

106.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 KWD 0.18

$0.60 ฿19.76

-1.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.28 KWD 1.00

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 KWD 0.33

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 KWD 0.44

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.71 KWD 0.83

$4.31 ฿142

-37.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 KWD 0.26

$2.25 ฿74.2

-62.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.78 KWD 1.47

$3.10 ฿102

54.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.21 KWD 0.99

$1.08 ฿35.56

197.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.27 KWD 4.99

$3.87 ฿128

320.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.35 KWD 0.11

$1.43 ฿47.16

-75.52%

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

$21.2K KWD 6,508

$27.8K ฿918.0K

-23.60%

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

$20.4K KWD 6,249

$27.0K ฿891.5K

-24.47%

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

$66.5 KWD 20.39

$105 ฿3,462

-36.56%

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

$22.83 KWD 7.00

$11.39 ฿376

100.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.02 KWD 9.20

$17.54 ฿580

71.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.9 KWD 30.33

$54.3 ฿1,795

82.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$11.29 KWD 3.46

$7.78 ฿257

45.12%

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

$303 KWD 93.0

$576 ฿19.0K

-47.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,369 KWD 2,873

$11.6K ฿382.7K

-19.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.16 KWD 11.39

$63.6 ฿2,103

-41.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.70 KWD 12.17

$29.10 ฿961

36.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.7 KWD 29.96

$96.2 ฿3,179

1.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.2 KWD 27.65

$90.0 ฿2,974

0.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 KWD 226

$733 ฿24.2K

0.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 KWD 175

$501 ฿16.5K

14.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,749 KWD 536

$2,126 ฿70.2K

-17.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,325 KWD 406

$1,252 ฿41.4K

5.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

5.57

17.24%

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

Last update for Mishref: September 6, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $737 in Mishref versus $733 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 $64.0 in Mishref versus $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $186 in Mishref vs $275 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 7%, 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 $2,030 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $64.0 in Mishref and $32.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 48% cheaper in Mishref – 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 Mishref at $1,353. 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.