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: $1,265 in Phuket versus $839 in 'ibri.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,311 in 'ibri.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,783 in 'ibri.

Living in Phuket is roughly 51% more expensive than 'ibri, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, 'ibri 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$2.66 OMR 1.02

76.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$25.59 OMR 9.85

77.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$6.63 OMR 2.55

27.15%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$3.11 OMR 1.20

-5.79%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.67 OMR 0.26

2.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.25 OMR 0.10

48.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$5.32 OMR 2.05

-54.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$11.50 OMR 4.43

-67.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.15 OMR 0.44

93.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$0.80 OMR 0.31

128.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.72 OMR 0.66

26.16%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$2.40 OMR 0.93

-7.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$3.83 OMR 1.48

415.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$3.73 OMR 1.44

-2.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$8.58 OMR 3.30

57.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.57 OMR 0.99

27.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.41 OMR 0.54

14.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.79 OMR 0.69

34.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$0.90 OMR 0.34

131.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$1.00 OMR 0.39

53.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$0.57 OMR 0.22

159.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.77 OMR 0.29

28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.50 OMR 0.19

2.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$5.62 OMR 2.16

-21.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$15.53 OMR 5.98

24.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$4.26 OMR 1.64

-58.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$7.92 OMR 3.05

-65.78%

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

$2.55 OMR 0.98

18.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$0.80 OMR 0.31

23.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$10.30 OMR 3.97

36.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$0.61 OMR 0.24

122.95%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$23.1K OMR 8,879

22.29%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$21.6K OMR 8,302

52.58%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$79.2 OMR 30.50

53.62%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$38.52 OMR 14.83

-64.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$69.6 OMR 26.80

-73.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$59.4 OMR 22.87

1.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$9.01 OMR 3.47

-3.55%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$193 OMR 74.1

260.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$9,783 OMR 3,766

60.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$51.2 OMR 19.71

16.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$38.98 OMR 15.01

-10.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$77.6 OMR 29.86

47.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$87.8 OMR 33.79

-5.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$207 OMR 79.7

196.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$129 OMR 49.52

239.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$491 OMR 189

326.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$343 OMR 132

340.34%

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)

$508 ฿16.6K

$2,981 OMR 1,148

-82.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.15

3.50%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for 'ibri: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $207 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: $45.00 in Phuket vs $26.00 in 'ibri for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $206 per month, with 'ibri 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

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

Phuket and 'ibri differ by about 51% in total monthly costs ($1,265 vs $839 including rent). 'ibri is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, 'ibri earns 487% less. 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: $613 in Phuket versus $207 in 'ibri. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 42% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $839 in 'ibri – a 51% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $839 in 'ibri versus $1,265 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 51% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.