😐A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $793 in Al-`awabi, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $1,166 in Al-`awabi, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $1,539 in Al-`awabi, rent included.
😐Phuket costs about 60% more than Al-`awabi, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.
📊Both Phuket and Al-`awabi are more affordable than the global median – Phuket6% lower, Al-`awabi41% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Al-`awabi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70฿153
$5.16OMR 1.99
-8.91%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37฿1,482
$25.81OMR 9.94
75.78%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.43฿275
$5.80OMR 2.23
45.34%
Cappuccino
$2.93฿95.6
$4.51OMR 1.74
-35.03%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.40
$0.82OMR 0.32
-15.85%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.99
$0.27OMR 0.10
37.04%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.41฿78.6
$10.56OMR 4.07
-77.18%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿122
$10.20OMR 3.93
-63.53%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Al-`awabi
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.23฿72.9
$1.96OMR 0.76
13.78%
White Bread(500g)
$1.83฿59.8
$1.23OMR 0.47
48.78%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.17฿70.8
$1.73OMR 0.67
25.43%
Eggs
$2.21฿72.3
$2.45OMR 0.94
-9.80%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.74฿645
$3.89OMR 1.50
407.46%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿119
$5.13OMR 1.97
-29.24%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.53฿442
$8.75OMR 3.37
54.63%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28฿107
$2.51OMR 0.97
30.68%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61฿52.6
$1.65OMR 0.64
-2.42%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿78.6
$1.83OMR 0.70
31.69%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.1
$1.18OMR 0.45
76.27%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿49.93
$0.94OMR 0.36
62.77%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.36
$0.99OMR 0.38
49.49%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99฿32.29
$1.09OMR 0.42
-9.17%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.67
$0.57OMR 0.22
-10.53%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿144
$6.46OMR 2.49
-31.73%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.38฿633
$15.89OMR 6.12
21.96%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$4.21OMR 1.62
-57.72%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71฿88.6
$7.81OMR 3.01
-65.30%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Al-`awabi
Difference
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
$3.08OMR 1.19
-1.95%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.99฿32.48
$0.81OMR 0.31
22.22%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.10฿461
$10.22OMR 3.94
37.96%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36฿44.51
$0.59OMR 0.23
130.51%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K฿921.1K
$23.3KOMR 8,983
20.87%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$21.9KOMR 8,429
50.28%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Al-`awabi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,975
$109OMR 41.99
11.59%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿443
$41.34OMR 15.91
-67.17%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31฿598
$69.9OMR 26.92
-73.82%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Al-`awabi
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.2฿1,967
-
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14฿560
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.69฿284
$10.37OMR 3.99
-16.20%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Al-`awabi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$693฿22.6K
$190OMR 73.2
264.62%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.7K฿512.3K
$9,996OMR 3,849
56.93%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Al-`awabi
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,944
$49.36OMR 19.00
20.60%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77฿1,136
$39.09OMR 15.05
-11.05%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,743
$79.7OMR 30.67
43.84%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3฿2,720
$90.2OMR 34.74
-7.68%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Al-`awabi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$613฿20.0K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437฿14.3K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,094฿68.4K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509฿49.3K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,749฿122.5K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,616฿85.4K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Al-`awabi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.6K
-
-
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 Al-`awabi: June 1, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket versus $26.00 in Al-`awabi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $232 – making Al-`awabi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
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-`awabi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Al-`awabi cheaper than Phuket?
Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 60%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $1,190 in Al-`awabi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What are total monthly expenses in Phuket vs Al-`awabi?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,265 in Phuket and $793 in Al-`awabi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $693 per month in Phuket and $190 in Al-`awabi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Al-`awabi?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Al-`awabi, where all-in costs run around $793, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Al-`awabi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Phuket or Al-`awabi more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Al-`awabi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Al-`awabi?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Al-`awabi. 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.