Cost of Living Comparison Between Muscat and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Muscat and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,322 in Muscat versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,928 in Muscat versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,533 in Muscat versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Muscat is roughly 6% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Muscat 1% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.29 OMR 2.04

$4.55 ฿153

16.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.50 OMR 9.82

$46.18 ฿1,554

-44.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.99 OMR 3.08

$8.84 ฿298

-9.62%

Cappuccino

$4.86 OMR 1.87

$3.06 ฿103

58.82%

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

$1.01 OMR 0.39

$0.73 ฿24.42

38.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 OMR 0.13

$0.40 ฿13.40

-15.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.41 OMR 4.78

$2.43 ฿81.8

410.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.66 OMR 4.49

$3.78 ฿127

208.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 OMR 0.76

$2.26 ฿76.0

-12.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 OMR 0.47

$1.81 ฿60.9

-32.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 OMR 0.66

$2.25 ฿75.8

-24.44%

Eggs

$2.42 OMR 0.93

$2.25 ฿75.6

7.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.71 OMR 1.43

$19.51 ฿656

-80.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.89 OMR 1.88

$3.65 ฿123

33.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.27 OMR 3.18

$13.05 ฿439

-36.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.51 OMR 0.97

$3.23 ฿109

-22.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 OMR 0.66

$1.62 ฿54.4

6.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 OMR 0.69

$2.38 ฿80.2

-25.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 OMR 0.44

$2.03 ฿68.2

-43.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$1.53 ฿51.6

-33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 OMR 0.38

$1.50 ฿50.5

-34.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 OMR 0.42

$0.98 ฿32.93

11.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 OMR 0.20

$0.52 ฿17.40

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.28 OMR 2.42

$4.44 ฿149

41.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.71 OMR 6.05

$18.32 ฿616

-14.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.38 OMR 1.68

$1.86 ฿62.7

135.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.02 OMR 3.09

$2.68 ฿90.2

199.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

$1.41 ฿47.49

-9.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.0 OMR 24.26

$11.70 ฿394

438.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 OMR 1.22

$3.11 ฿105

1.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 OMR 0.31

$1.04 ฿35.08

-23.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.20 OMR 3.92

$14.11 ฿475

-27.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 OMR 0.25

$1.31 ฿44.13

-51.15%

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

$22.5K OMR 8,654

$27.8K ฿936.0K

-19.17%

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

$21.5K OMR 8,279

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-35.25%

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

$109 OMR 41.78

$122 ฿4,120

-11.34%

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

$40.41 OMR 15.55

$13.59 ฿457

197.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.5 OMR 26.38

$18.70 ฿629

266.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.75 OMR 18.76

$60.5 ฿2,035

-19.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.23 OMR 8.94

$16.98 ฿572

36.81%

Cinema Ticket

$10.28 OMR 3.96

$9.07 ฿305

13.34%

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

$190 OMR 73.0

$706 ฿23.8K

-73.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.0K OMR 3,861

$15.8K ฿531.8K

-36.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.0 OMR 19.62

$58.6 ฿1,970

-12.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.14 OMR 15.07

$35.36 ฿1,190

10.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.6 OMR 29.87

$115 ฿3,885

-32.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.6 OMR 33.72

$83.7 ฿2,818

4.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 OMR 237

$626 ฿21.1K

-1.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$407 OMR 157

$445 ฿15.0K

-8.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 OMR 478

$2,040 ฿68.7K

-39.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$714 OMR 275

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-52.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,866 OMR 1,103

$3,483 ฿117.2K

-17.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,593 OMR 613

$2,577 ฿86.7K

-38.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,576 OMR 607

$500 ฿16.8K

215.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.15

5.33

-3.38%

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

Last update for Muscat: July 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Muscat and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Muscat pays 215% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $26.00 in Muscat vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $289 per month, with Muscat 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

Muscat vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Muscat and Phuket differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($1,322 vs $1,250 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 215% higher in Muscat, 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: $616 in Muscat versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $26.00 in Muscat. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,322 per month in Muscat versus $1,250 in Phuket – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,322 in Muscat, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Muscat. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Muscat 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Muscat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.