Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Al Ghubra

For one person, living is cheaper in Al Ghubra: $90.4 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $14,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Al Ghubra, Oman
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Al Ghubra
🇴🇲 Oman
$90.4
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Al Ghubra

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Al Ghubra actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,278 in Phuket versus $90 in Al Ghubra.

  • Phuket $1,278
  • Al Ghubra $90

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,216 in Phuket versus $160 in Al Ghubra.

  • Phuket $2,216
  • Al Ghubra $160

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,154 in Phuket versus $230 in Al Ghubra.

  • Phuket $3,154
  • Al Ghubra $230

Living in Phuket is roughly 1314% more expensive than in Al Ghubra, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Al Ghubra 93% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Al Ghubra
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.47 ฿151
-
-
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.41 ฿1,092
-
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.81 ฿297
-
-
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿95.3
-
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 ฿29.37
-
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.64
$0.27 OMR 0.10
81.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.56 ฿86.2
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 ฿124
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Al Ghubra
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 ฿55.9
$2.64 OMR 1.02
-37.12%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 ฿49.25
-
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.4
-
-
Eggs
$2.09 ฿70.4
-
-
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.07 ฿642
-
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿111
-
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.91 ฿368
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.93 ฿98.7
-
-
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿56.9
-
-
Oranges (1kg)
$2.25 ฿75.7
-
-
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿70.0
-
-
Potato (1kg)
$1.51 ฿50.9
-
-
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.47
-
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.91
-
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.49
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20 ฿142
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$18.79 ฿633
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ฿61.4
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 ฿95.7
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Al Ghubra
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿48.93
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$56.7 ฿1,909
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿102
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 ฿34.29
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.69 ฿124
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.70
-
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K ฿902.4K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿899.5K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Al Ghubra
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,247
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.26 ฿380
-
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.85 ฿568
-
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Al Ghubra
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 ฿2,266
$44.83 OMR 17.26
49.97%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.73 ฿361
$36.27 OMR 13.96
-70.42%
Cinema Ticket
$7.50 ฿253
$9.03 OMR 3.48
-16.94%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Al Ghubra
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$476 ฿16.0K
$185 OMR 71.1
157.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.3K ฿379.6K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Al Ghubra
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.4 ฿2,102
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.41 ฿957
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.3 ฿3,178
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8 ฿2,892
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Al Ghubra
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$716 ฿24.1K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$491 ฿16.5K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,927 ฿64.9K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,431 ฿48.2K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,175 ฿140.7K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,045 ฿102.6K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Al Ghubra
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$502 ฿16.9K
$3,063 OMR 1,179
-83.60%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
0
-

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Al Ghubra: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$491
Al Ghubra
–
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$266
Al Ghubra
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$124
Al Ghubra
–
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$122
Al Ghubra
–
Eating Out
Phuket
$122
Al Ghubra
–
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$82
Al Ghubra
–
Getting Around
Phuket
$71
Al Ghubra
–

Cost Breakdown

Al Ghubra pays about 6.1 times more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇴🇲 Al Ghubra
🕒 Local time
11:53 11:53 AM
08:53 8:53 AM
3 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
797,000
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Omani Rial OMR ر.ع.
Exchange rates and currency converter

OMR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 33.7 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.77 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Omani Rial exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 0.385 OMR (1 OMR = 2.6 USD). 1 EUR = 0.431 OMR (1 OMR = 2.32 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Al Ghubra 4,600 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Al Ghubra

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Ghubra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Phuket and in Al Ghubra?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,278 in Phuket and $90 in Al Ghubra, so Al Ghubra is about 93% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 84% lower in Phuket. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Phuket and Al Ghubra?
Childcare runs $476 in Phuket versus $185 in Al Ghubra. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more expensive overall: Phuket or Al Ghubra?
All in, you’ll spend $1,278 per month in Phuket versus $90 in Al Ghubra – Al Ghubra is about 93% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
At $90 in Al Ghubra versus $1,278 in Phuket, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Al Ghubra but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Al Ghubra the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Phuket and Al Ghubra?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Phuket or Al Ghubra safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Al Ghubra are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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