Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Al Bayda Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Al Bayda

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $386 in Al Bayda.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $614 in Al Bayda.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $842 in Al Bayda.

Living in Phuket is roughly 228% more expensive than Al Bayda, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Al Bayda 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$5.41 LYD 34.38

-13.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,483

$16.57 LYD 105

173.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$5.39 LYD 34.26

56.40%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 LYD 1.87

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.7

$0.43 LYD 2.71

581.40%

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

$0.69 ฿22.42

$0.39 LYD 2.46

76.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.00

$0.09 LYD 0.58

311.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.0

$0.71 LYD 4.48

214.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.9

$0.29 LYD 1.85

531.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.9

$1.49 LYD 9.45

45.64%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.4

$2.40 LYD 15.26

-7.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$3.47 LYD 22.07

4.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$7.71 LYD 49.02

75.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$1.42 LYD 9.04

130.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$1.34 LYD 8.53

20.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$1.35 LYD 8.62

78.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$0.53 LYD 3.40

292.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.97

$0.59 LYD 3.72

159.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.41

$0.52 LYD 3.33

184.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.32

$0.88 LYD 5.60

12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.68

$0.16 LYD 1.00

218.75%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 LYD 3.61

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$1.84 LYD 11.73

139.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿634

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.83

$0.96 LYD 6.11

42.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.7

$0.95 LYD 6.06

217.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.51

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$3.69 LYD 23.43

282.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.55

$0.03 LYD 0.17

4433.33%

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

$28.2K ฿921.9K

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$11.0K LYD 70.0K

198.89%

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

$122 ฿3,978

$5.41 LYD 34.40

2149.54%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$9.15 LYD 58.2

48.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿599

$45.69 LYD 291

-59.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,969

$11.81 LYD 75.1

409.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$27.68 LYD 176

2405.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,946

$36.72 LYD 234

62.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,137

$36.51 LYD 232

-4.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,746

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,723

$73.1 LYD 465

13.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$126 LYD 803

385.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$73.9 LYD 470

491.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.5K

$182 LYD 1,158

1050.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$128 LYD 816

1076.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Al Bayda: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $126 in Al Bayda. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $17.00 in Al Bayda for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $97.0 per month, with Al Bayda 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 Bayda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Bayda is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 228% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $579 in Al Bayda 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: $613 in Phuket versus $126 in Al Bayda. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $27.68 in Al Bayda. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Al Bayda – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $386 in Al Bayda versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al Bayda but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Al Bayda the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Al Bayda 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 Bayda 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 Bayda gentler on the wallet – expenses run 228% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.