Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Abha Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Abha

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $1,046 in Abha, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,089 per month in Phuket vs $1,746 in Abha, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Phuket vs $2,446 in Abha, rent included.

Phuket costs about 21% more than Abha, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Phuket and Abha are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Abha 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$5.38 SAR 20.20

-13.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$51.2 SAR 192

-37.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$7.28 SAR 27.33

19.23%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 SAR 4.86

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$3.09 SAR 11.62

-6.15%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$0.63 SAR 2.36

33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.22 SAR 0.82

122.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$1.62 SAR 6.07

16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$0.63 SAR 2.38

123.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$1.99 SAR 7.46

-18.59%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$3.19 SAR 11.99

-29.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$4.47 SAR 16.80

343.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$7.53 SAR 28.26

-53.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$18.60 SAR 69.8

-38.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$2.08 SAR 7.81

39.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$1.99 SAR 7.49

-13.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$1.55 SAR 5.83

46.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$1.61 SAR 6.06

32.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$2.17 SAR 8.14

-32.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$1.26 SAR 4.73

12.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$0.35 SAR 1.30

214.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$0.51 SAR 1.93

17.65%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.37 SAR 16.41

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 SAR 4.60

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 SAR 5.61

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$9.13 SAR 34.28

-52.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

$0.80 SAR 3.00

181.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

$35.27 SAR 132

-33.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$2.99 SAR 11.23

3.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$2.69 SAR 10.12

-59.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$13.00 SAR 48.82

-70.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$0.60 SAR 2.26

138.33%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$45.1K SAR 169.2K

-38.34%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$19.5K SAR 73.1K

38.64%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$88.1 SAR 331

18.90%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$37.07 SAR 139

-69.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$78.0 SAR 293

-77.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

$90.3 SAR 339

-39.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

$44.44 SAR 167

-74.26%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$16.08 SAR 60.4

-51.62%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$206 SAR 774

179.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$4,231 SAR 15.9K

173.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$30.71 SAR 115

107.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$71.7 SAR 269

-59.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$96.1 SAR 361

0.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$66.9 SAR 251

34.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$306 SAR 1,150

139.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$252 SAR 945

99.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

$537 SAR 2,016

295.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$563 SAR 2,113

122.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

$945 SAR 3,549

274.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

$1,315 SAR 4,940

99.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

$2,238 SAR 8,405

-77.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-7.17%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Abha: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $733 in Phuket versus $306 in Abha. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 341% higher in Abha, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $51.0 in Abha. Groceries tell a different story – $275 in Phuket vs $203 in Abha – so Abha wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Abha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 21% more than Abha, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $1,570 in Abha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Abha, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 35% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket and $51.0 in Abha. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Abha, where all-in costs run around $1,046, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Abha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Abha costs $1,046 versus $1,265 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Abha. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.