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: $582 in Nizwa versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $787 in Nizwa versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $993 in Nizwa versus $3,329 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

$2.54 OMR 0.98

$4.70 ฿153

-45.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.21 OMR 10.09

$45.37 ฿1,482

-42.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.84 OMR 1.48

$8.43 ฿275

-54.45%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

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

$0.87 OMR 0.33

$0.69 ฿22.40

26.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 OMR 0.10

$0.37 ฿11.99

-27.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 OMR 0.51

$2.23 ฿72.9

-41.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

$1.83 ฿59.8

-30.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 OMR 0.68

$2.17 ฿70.8

-18.43%

Eggs

$2.13 OMR 0.82

$2.21 ฿72.3

-3.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.83 OMR 1.47

$19.74 ฿645

-80.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.02 OMR 3.09

$3.63 ฿119

120.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

Apples (1kg)

$2.06 OMR 0.79

$3.28 ฿107

-37.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 OMR 0.49

$1.61 ฿52.6

-20.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 OMR 0.50

$2.41 ฿78.6

-45.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.32 OMR 0.51

$2.08 ฿68.1

-36.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 OMR 0.41

$1.53 ฿49.93

-31.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 OMR 0.41

$1.48 ฿48.36

-28.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.50 OMR 0.19

$0.99 ฿32.29

-49.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 OMR 0.31

$0.51 ฿16.67

60.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

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)

$1.37 ฿44.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 OMR 0.23

$1.36 ฿44.51

-56.62%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

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

$130 OMR 49.97

$122 ฿3,975

6.64%

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

$13.57 ฿443

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.1 OMR 24.68

$18.31 ฿598

250.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

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

$693 ฿22.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$265 OMR 102

$613 ฿20.0K

-56.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$204 OMR 78.6

$437 ฿14.3K

-53.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$389 OMR 150

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-81.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$264 OMR 102

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-82.49%

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)

$1,309 OMR 504

$508 ฿16.6K

157.59%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $265 in Nizwa and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nizwa pays 158% 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 $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $140 vs $293 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 117% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Nizwa pays 158% more on average, 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: $265 in Nizwa versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 110% 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 $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $582 in Nizwa versus $1,265 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 117% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.