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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $1,134 in Abha, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,286 per month in Phuket vs $1,921 in Abha, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,310 per month in Phuket vs $2,709 in Abha, rent included.

Phuket costs about 11% more than Abha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Abha are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Abha 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$5.25 SAR 19.68

-13.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$53.1 SAR 199

-12.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$7.92 SAR 29.72

6.94%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 SAR 6.42

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 SAR 5.19

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$3.11 SAR 11.67

-2.57%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.59 SAR 2.20

16.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.23 SAR 0.87

60.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.85 SAR 6.94

17.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$0.48 SAR 1.80

295.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$2.06 SAR 7.72

6.80%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$2.91 SAR 10.91

-23.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$5.81 SAR 21.80

244.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$8.83 SAR 33.14

-58.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$16.66 SAR 62.5

-20.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$1.86 SAR 6.97

73.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.61 SAR 6.04

5.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.47 SAR 5.51

62.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.69 SAR 6.34

23.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.41 SAR 5.28

12.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.22 SAR 4.58

21.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$0.91 SAR 3.42

13.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.59 SAR 2.20

-11.86%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.36 SAR 16.38

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 SAR 5.73

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 SAR 5.48

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$9.44 SAR 35.41

-54.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.80 SAR 3.00

70.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$40.67 SAR 153

-72.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$2.74 SAR 10.27

14.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$2.71 SAR 10.17

-61.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$13.28 SAR 49.82

3.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$0.64 SAR 2.40

109.38%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$24.6K SAR 92.4K

12.40%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$22.9K SAR 85.9K

48.00%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$82.2 SAR 309

50.30%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$37.47 SAR 141

-63.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$54.0 SAR 202

-65.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$121 SAR 453

-48.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$27.13 SAR 102

-36.42%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$18.02 SAR 67.6

-49.28%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$238 SAR 892

195.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$5,340 SAR 20.0K

197.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$38.22 SAR 143

55.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$66.4 SAR 249

-47.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$179 SAR 670

-35.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$88.6 SAR 333

-5.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$352 SAR 1,322

75.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$265 SAR 994

63.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$556 SAR 2,085

271.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$637 SAR 2,390

137.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$2,403 SAR 9,016

51.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$1,312 SAR 4,924

100.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$2,218 SAR 8,322

-77.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.67

-6.00%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Abha: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Phuket versus $352 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 337% 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 $47.00 in Phuket versus $53.0 in Abha. Groceries tell a different story – $293 in Phuket vs $205 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 11% more than Abha, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,892 per month in Phuket and $1,701 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 43% 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 $47.00 in Phuket and $53.0 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 $1,134, than in Phuket at $1,261. 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 $1,134 versus $1,261 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.