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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $466 in Al `arish.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $729 in Al `arish.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $993 in Al `arish.

Living in Phuket is roughly 171% more expensive than Al `arish, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Al `arish 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$4.06 E£208

12.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$13.87 E£708

236.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$5.37 E£274

57.73%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$1.45 E£74.2

108.97%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.42 E£21.28

64.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.12 E£6.28

208.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$1.30 E£66.4

91.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$1.93 E£98.4

89.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$0.97 E£49.79

124.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$0.47 E£23.89

304.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$0.72 E£36.71

205.56%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$1.57 E£80.0

41.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$1.96 E£100

919.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$4.16 E£213

-12.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$8.30 E£424

59.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$1.45 E£74.2

122.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$0.60 E£30.75

183.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$0.38 E£19.49

528.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$0.37 E£18.84

462.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.50 E£25.67

218.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$0.50 E£25.49

196.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$0.27 E£13.72

281.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.17 E£8.59

205.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$1.89 E£96.7

124.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$4.27 E£218

340.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.47 E£75.1

19.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$1.64 E£83.9

68.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.16 E£8.32

750.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$0.31 E£15.87

912.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$0.23 E£11.74

352.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$1.96 E£99.9

602.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$0.33 E£17.08

306.06%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$30.8K E£1.6M

-10.00%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$36.2K E£1.9M

-6.56%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$19.68 E£1,005

528.00%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$7.27 E£371

85.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$10.63 E£543

75.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$22.07 E£1,127

180.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$6.87 E£351

33.04%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$97.0 E£4,954

624.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$2,599 E£132.7K

510.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$16.96 E£866

250.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$62.0 E£3,166

-43.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$83.3 E£4,252

38.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$50.3 E£2,567

67.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$192 E£9,793

222.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$101 E£5,136

330.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$304 E£15.5K

577.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$178 E£9,114

746.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$871 E£44.5K

318.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$462 E£23.6K

468.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

23.33

-77.15%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Al `arish: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $192 in Al `arish. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $14.00 in Al `arish for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $114 per month, with Al `arish 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 `arish: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al `arish wins on cost – living expenses run 171% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Al `arish the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,892 in Phuket and $698 in Al `arish 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 $192 in Al `arish. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 156% 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 $466 in Al `arish – a 171% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $466 in Al `arish versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Al `arish but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Al `arish the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Al `arish delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $466 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Al `arish hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Al `arish 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 `arish gentler on the wallet – expenses run 171% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.