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: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,297 in Al-jahra'.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $2,219 in Al-jahra'.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $3,141 in Al-jahra'.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 5% less than in Al-jahra', driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Al-jahra' 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$11.12 KWD 3.41

-60.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$66.0 KWD 20.25

-51.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$9.00 KWD 2.76

-0.78%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 KWD 1.02

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 KWD 1.51

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$5.23 KWD 1.61

-44.55%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$0.76 KWD 0.23

15.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.31 KWD 0.10

54.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.58 KWD 0.49

18.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$1.54 KWD 0.47

-4.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.90 KWD 0.58

-18.42%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$2.16 KWD 0.66

-2.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$4.35 KWD 1.34

350.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$6.89 KWD 2.11

-50.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$10.32 KWD 3.17

10.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$2.54 KWD 0.78

17.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.92 KWD 0.59

-12.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$1.81 KWD 0.56

22.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$1.55 KWD 0.48

39.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$1.31 KWD 0.40

16.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$1.44 KWD 0.44

-6.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$2.37 KWD 0.73

-52.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.55 KWD 0.17

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.22 KWD 0.99

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 KWD 0.45

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$2.67 KWD 0.82

59.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$0.81 KWD 0.25

175.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$4.89 KWD 1.50

-38.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$3.17 KWD 0.97

-67.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$16.43 KWD 5.04

-76.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$0.33 KWD 0.10

351.52%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$20.9K KWD 6,413

27.25%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$20.2K KWD 6,213

33.56%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$20.35 KWD 6.25

403.54%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$23.03 KWD 7.07

-50.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$29.48 KWD 9.05

-40.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$97.0 KWD 29.79

-46.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$11.33 KWD 3.48

-32.13%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$298 KWD 91.4

88.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$9,449 KWD 2,901

21.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$37.36 KWD 11.47

68.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$40.20 KWD 12.34

-26.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$97.5 KWD 29.93

0.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$87.6 KWD 26.90

0.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$640 KWD 196

15.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$589 KWD 181

-18.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$1,636 KWD 502

28.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$1,526 KWD 468

-19.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$2,891 KWD 887

-82.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.53

-14.70%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Al-jahra': September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $640 in Al-jahra'. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al-jahra' pays 486% 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $66.0 in Al-jahra'. Groceries flip the comparison at $274 vs $188, 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. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 486% 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: $738 in Phuket versus $640 in Al-jahra'. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $298 in Al-jahra'. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $66.0 in Al-jahra'. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,297 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 5% less than in Al-jahra'. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.