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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,816 in Al Hidd.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $2,250 in Al Hidd.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $2,684 in Al Hidd.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 31% less than in Al Hidd, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Al Hidd is 35% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$6.56 BHD 2.47

-30.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$39.07 BHD 14.72

19.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$7.22 BHD 2.72

17.31%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$2.71 BHD 1.02

11.81%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.77 BHD 0.29

-10.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.13 BHD 0.05

184.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$7.83 BHD 2.95

-68.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$10.48 BHD 3.95

-65.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.71 BHD 0.64

27.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$1.30 BHD 0.49

46.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$2.38 BHD 0.90

-7.56%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$2.51 BHD 0.95

-11.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$8.74 BHD 3.29

128.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$7.93 BHD 2.99

-53.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$10.04 BHD 3.78

31.97%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$2.46 BHD 0.93

31.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$2.12 BHD 0.80

-19.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.69 BHD 0.64

41.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.22 BHD 0.46

70.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.87 BHD 0.33

82.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.04 BHD 0.39

42.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$1.50 BHD 0.57

-31.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.92 BHD 0.35

-43.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$6.70 BHD 2.53

-36.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$18.51 BHD 6.97

1.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$3.44 BHD 1.30

-48.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$3.29 BHD 1.24

-16.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$1.55 BHD 0.58

-12.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$53.9 BHD 20.31

-78.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$4.69 BHD 1.77

-33.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$4.08 BHD 1.54

-74.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$26.19 BHD 9.87

-47.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$0.41 BHD 0.15

226.83%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$20.1K BHD 7,560

37.99%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$21.0K BHD 7,926

61.02%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$121 BHD 45.74

1.85%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$27.32 BHD 10.30

-50.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$38.62 BHD 14.56

-51.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$54.1 BHD 20.39

-68.11%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$10.58 BHD 3.99

-13.61%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$392 BHD 148

79.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$8,768 BHD 3,305

81.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$46.78 BHD 17.63

27.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$62.5 BHD 23.55

-43.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$83.3 BHD 31.41

38.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$86.8 BHD 32.70

-3.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$669 BHD 252

-7.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$942 BHD 355

-54.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$784 BHD 295

163.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$807 BHD 304

87.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$1,900 BHD 716

-73.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

8.56

-37.73%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Al Hidd: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $669 in Al Hidd. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Hidd pays 275% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $39.00 in Al Hidd for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $266 per month, with Al Hidd 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 Hidd: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 44% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Al Hidd earns 275% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $669 in Al Hidd. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 374% less than in Al Hidd. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $392 in Al Hidd. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,816 in Al Hidd, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Al Hidd. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Al Hidd, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Al Hidd 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Al Hidd. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.