Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and 'ibri Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and 'ibri

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,253 in Phuket versus $1,038 in 'ibri.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,043 in Phuket versus $1,615 in 'ibri.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Phuket versus $2,192 in 'ibri.

Living in Phuket is roughly 21% more expensive than in 'ibri, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 9% lower, 'ibri 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

$5.15 OMR 1.98

-11.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.62 ฿1,073

$33.97 OMR 13.08

-3.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿293

$7.58 OMR 2.92

17.41%

Cappuccino

$2.80 ฿92.2

$4.73 OMR 1.82

-40.80%

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

$0.88 ฿28.94

$0.90 OMR 0.35

-2.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.08

$0.29 OMR 0.11

68.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.5

$12.81 OMR 4.93

-81.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿122

$13.23 OMR 5.09

-71.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿58.8

$1.31 OMR 0.50

36.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.40

$0.76 OMR 0.29

89.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.1

$1.33 OMR 0.51

18.80%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$2.11 OMR 0.81

0.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿655

$7.66 OMR 2.95

160.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿113

$5.08 OMR 1.95

-32.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿372

$10.46 OMR 4.03

8.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.0

$2.64 OMR 1.02

11.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.6

$1.93 OMR 0.74

-10.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿76.5

$1.60 OMR 0.62

45.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$1.06 OMR 0.41

96.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.34

$1.06 OMR 0.41

38.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿44.65

$0.80 OMR 0.31

70.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.13

$0.76 OMR 0.29

44.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.89

$0.54 OMR 0.21

5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$6.34 OMR 2.44

-32.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿606

$15.31 OMR 5.89

20.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿61.5

$5.71 OMR 2.20

-67.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.1

$8.90 OMR 3.43

-67.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿73.0

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.6

$2.56 OMR 0.99

18.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.32

$1.34 OMR 0.51

-20.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

$7.71 OMR 2.97

-49.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.06

$0.62 OMR 0.24

140.32%

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

$27.1K ฿892.0K

$25.9K OMR 9,967

4.79%

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

$27.5K ฿902.6K

$22.4K OMR 8,611

22.74%

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

$103 ฿3,380

$79.0 OMR 30.40

30.19%

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

$10.99 ฿361

$30.98 OMR 11.93

-64.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿576

$70.1 OMR 26.97

-75.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,760

$76.5 OMR 29.45

-30.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

$10.33 OMR 3.98

-27.59%

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

$557 ฿18.3K

$290 OMR 112

92.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿389.7K

$10.5K OMR 4,040

12.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,107

$56.9 OMR 21.90

12.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿956

$43.50 OMR 16.75

-33.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,155

$89.2 OMR 34.34

7.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,970

$94.7 OMR 36.45

-4.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

$232 OMR 89.4

214.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

$184 OMR 70.7

172.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.7K

$476 OMR 183

339.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.8K

$372 OMR 143

225.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.6K

$2,956 OMR 1,138

-82.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.25

6.10%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Last update for 'ibri: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $730 in Phuket and $232 in 'ibri. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

'ibri pays 487% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Phuket vs $34.00 in 'ibri. Groceries flip the comparison at $273 vs $242, with 'ibri cheaper for home cooking.

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

Phuket vs 'ibri: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and 'ibri differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($1,253 vs $1,038 including rent). 'ibri is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 487% lower in 'ibri. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $730 in Phuket versus $232 in 'ibri. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,253 per month in Phuket versus $1,038 in 'ibri – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,038 in 'ibri versus $1,253 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in 'ibri but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes 'ibri 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, Phuket and 'ibri 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 'ibri gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.