Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Al `alamayn Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Al `alamayn

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $485 in Al `alamayn.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $770 in Al `alamayn.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $1,055 in Al `alamayn.

Living in Phuket is roughly 160% more expensive than Al `alamayn, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Al `alamayn 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$5.82 E£297

-21.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$13.92 E£711

234.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$4.02 E£205

110.70%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$0.90 E£46.12

236.67%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.32 E£16.26

115.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.10 E£5.30

270.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$1.17 E£59.5

112.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.91 E£149

25.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$0.99 E£50.6

120.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$0.29 E£14.74

555.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$0.58 E£29.49

279.31%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$1.52 E£77.7

46.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$2.52 E£129

693.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$4.26 E£218

-14.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$7.39 E£377

79.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$1.34 E£68.5

141.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$0.60 E£30.75

183.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$0.44 E£22.54

443.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$0.25 E£12.73

732.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.33 E£16.61

381.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$0.41 E£21.09

260.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$0.34 E£17.35

202.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.23 E£11.76

126.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$1.95 E£99.6

117.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$5.50 E£281

241.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.31 E£67.0

34.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$1.87 E£95.7

47.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.17 E£8.54

700.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$0.42 E£21.29

647.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$0.31 E£15.86

235.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$1.01 E£51.6

1263.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$0.30 E£15.11

346.67%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$34.9K E£1.8M

-20.62%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$33.2K E£1.7M

1.92%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$24.25 E£1,238

409.65%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$9.66 E£494

39.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$15.83 E£808

18.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$22.19 E£1,133

178.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$2.98 E£152

206.71%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$32.97 E£1,684

2031.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$1,838 E£93.9K

763.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$17.75 E£907

234.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$42.16 E£2,153

-16.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$113 E£5,791

1.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$75.1 E£3,835

11.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$186 E£9,495

232.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$98.1 E£5,012

340.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$314 E£16.0K

557.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$174 E£8,897

767.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$752 E£38.4K

385.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$400 E£20.4K

556.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-73.35%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Al `alamayn: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $186 in Al `alamayn. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $14.00 in Al `alamayn for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $113 per month, with Al `alamayn 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 Al `alamayn: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al `alamayn is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 160% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,892 in Phuket and $728 in Al `alamayn to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $186 in Al `alamayn. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 160% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,261 per month in Phuket versus $485 in Al `alamayn – a 160% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $485 in Al `alamayn versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al `alamayn but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Al `alamayn the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Al `alamayn 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, Phuket and Al `alamayn 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 Al `alamayn gentler on the wallet – expenses run 160% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.