Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Al-jahra' Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Al-jahra'

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,421 in Al-jahra'.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $2,427 in Al-jahra'.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $3,433 in Al-jahra'.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 11% less than in Al-jahra', driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 5% below, Al-jahra' is 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$9.56 KWD 2.94

-53.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$82.1 KWD 25.26

-44.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$9.05 KWD 2.78

-3.20%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 KWD 0.74

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 KWD 1.16

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$5.84 KWD 1.80

-49.14%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.64 KWD 0.20

7.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.35 KWD 0.11

11.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.55 KWD 0.48

38.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$1.30 KWD 0.40

40.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.72 KWD 0.53

26.74%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$2.01 KWD 0.62

11.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$5.14 KWD 1.58

289.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$6.31 KWD 1.94

-42.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$10.50 KWD 3.23

29.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$2.42 KWD 0.74

33.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.92 KWD 0.59

-14.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.74 KWD 0.54

33.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.50 KWD 0.46

38.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.22 KWD 0.38

27.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.25 KWD 0.39

16.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$1.67 KWD 0.52

-41.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.49 KWD 0.15

-2.04%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.18 KWD 0.98

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 KWD 0.33

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 KWD 0.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$3.03 KWD 0.93

43.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.89 KWD 0.27

59.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$44.79 KWD 13.78

-74.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$3.21 KWD 0.99

-1.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$3.29 KWD 1.01

-68.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$16.07 KWD 4.94

-13.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$0.36 KWD 0.11

272.22%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$21.6K KWD 6,641

28.73%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$19.8K KWD 6,076

68.99%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$20.26 KWD 6.23

507.35%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$18.72 KWD 5.76

-26.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$26.17 KWD 8.05

-29.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$199 KWD 61.1

-69.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$46.59 KWD 14.33

-63.17%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$11.37 KWD 3.50

-21.99%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$399 KWD 123

72.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$6,597 KWD 2,029

139.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$42.96 KWD 13.22

38.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$43.11 KWD 13.26

-19.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$86.6 KWD 26.63

33.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$80.7 KWD 24.82

3.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$784 KWD 241

-20.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$603 KWD 185

-25.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$1,589 KWD 489

27.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$1,273 KWD 392

17.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$2,915 KWD 897

-83.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

7.14

-25.35%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Al-jahra': July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $784 in Al-jahra'. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al-jahra' pays 490% 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: $46.00 in Phuket vs $82.0 in Al-jahra'. Groceries flip the comparison at $291 vs $179, with Al-jahra' cheaper for home cooking.

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-jahra': Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 490% lower in Al-jahra'. 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: $621 in Phuket versus $784 in Al-jahra'. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $688 in Phuket versus $399 in Al-jahra'. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Al-jahra' pay roughly 63% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,421 in Al-jahra', a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Al-jahra'. 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-jahra', and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Al-jahra' 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 12% less than in Al-jahra'. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.