Cost of Living Comparison Between Nizwa and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Nizwa and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $580 in Nizwa versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $793 in Nizwa versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,007 in Nizwa versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Nizwa costs roughly 54% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Nizwa 57% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.66 OMR 1.02

$4.55 ฿153

-41.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.58 OMR 9.84

$46.18 ฿1,553

-44.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.99 OMR 1.54

$8.84 ฿297

-54.86%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

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

$0.82 OMR 0.31

$0.73 ฿24.40

12.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 OMR 0.10

$0.40 ฿13.39

-32.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 OMR 0.51

$2.26 ฿76.0

-40.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 OMR 0.51

$1.81 ฿60.9

-26.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 OMR 0.69

$2.25 ฿75.8

-20.44%

Eggs

$2.23 OMR 0.86

$2.25 ฿75.5

-0.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.89 OMR 1.50

$19.51 ฿656

-80.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.72 OMR 2.97

$3.65 ฿123

111.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 OMR 0.78

$3.23 ฿109

-36.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

$1.62 ฿54.4

-21.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 OMR 0.51

$2.38 ฿80.1

-44.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.32 OMR 0.51

$2.03 ฿68.1

-34.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 OMR 0.41

$1.53 ฿51.6

-30.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 OMR 0.40

$1.50 ฿50.5

-31.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 OMR 0.21

$0.98 ฿32.91

-44.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 OMR 0.29

$0.52 ฿17.39

44.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 OMR 0.24

$1.31 ฿44.10

-51.91%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

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

$132 OMR 50.8

$122 ฿4,118

7.71%

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

$13.59 ฿457

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.5 OMR 25.21

$18.70 ฿629

250.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

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

$706 ฿23.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$264 OMR 102

$626 ฿21.0K

-57.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$209 OMR 80.5

$445 ฿15.0K

-53.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$393 OMR 151

$2,040 ฿68.6K

-80.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$261 OMR 100

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-82.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,323 OMR 509

$500 ฿16.8K

164.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Nizwa: July 11, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $264 in Nizwa and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nizwa pays 165% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $26.00 in Nizwa vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $139 vs $289 per month, with Nizwa 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

Nizwa vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nizwa is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 116% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 165% higher in Nizwa, 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: $264 in Nizwa versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 108% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

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

At $580 in Nizwa versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Nizwa but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Nizwa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Nizwa 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, Nizwa 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 Nizwa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 116% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.