Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Al-Buraimi Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Al-Buraimi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,011 in Al-Buraimi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,298 in Al-Buraimi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,586 in Al-Buraimi.

Living in Phuket is roughly 25% more expensive than Al-Buraimi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Al-Buraimi 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$5.12 OMR 1.97

-8.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$25.59 OMR 9.85

77.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$7.75 OMR 2.98

8.77%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$4.96 OMR 1.91

-40.93%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$1.06 OMR 0.41

-34.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.32 OMR 0.12

15.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$12.15 OMR 4.68

-80.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$11.65 OMR 4.49

-68.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$2.00 OMR 0.77

11.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.23 OMR 0.48

48.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.74 OMR 0.67

24.71%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$2.47 OMR 0.95

-10.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$3.87 OMR 1.49

410.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$5.08 OMR 1.96

-28.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$8.79 OMR 3.38

53.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.61 OMR 1.00

25.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.73 OMR 0.67

-6.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.84 OMR 0.71

30.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.18 OMR 0.45

76.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$0.97 OMR 0.37

57.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$0.97 OMR 0.38

52.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$1.09 OMR 0.42

-9.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.56 OMR 0.21

-8.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$6.54 OMR 2.52

-32.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$15.77 OMR 6.07

22.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$4.32 OMR 1.66

-58.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$7.74 OMR 2.98

-64.99%

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

$2.59 OMR 1.00

16.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$0.54 OMR 0.21

83.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$5.14 OMR 1.98

174.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$0.65 OMR 0.25

109.23%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$22.5K OMR 8,664

25.32%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$21.6K OMR 8,300

52.62%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$105 OMR 40.56

15.51%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$41.88 OMR 16.12

-67.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$69.6 OMR 26.80

-73.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$10.36 OMR 3.99

-16.12%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$193 OMR 74.2

259.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$9,914 OMR 3,817

58.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$49.99 OMR 19.25

19.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$39.43 OMR 15.18

-11.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$79.0 OMR 30.42

45.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$88.2 OMR 33.97

-5.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$206 OMR 79.4

112.00%

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

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$3,613 OMR 1,391

-85.94%

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-Buraimi: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Al-Buraimi pays 611% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $26.00 in Al-Buraimi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $234 per month, with Al-Buraimi 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-Buraimi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al-Buraimi is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 25% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Al-Buraimi earns 611% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 25% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $1,011 in Al-Buraimi – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,011 in Al-Buraimi versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al-Buraimi but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Al-Buraimi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Al-Buraimi 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-Buraimi 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-Buraimi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.