Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Al Majma'ah Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Al Majma'ah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,264 per month in Phuket vs $1,221 in Al Majma'ah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,256 per month in Phuket vs $1,927 in Al Majma'ah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Phuket vs $2,633 in Al Majma'ah, rent included.

Phuket costs about 3% more than Al Majma'ah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Al Majma'ah are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 5% lower, Al Majma'ah 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$7.92 SAR 29.75

-43.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$53.0 SAR 199

-13.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$7.79 SAR 29.24

12.45%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 SAR 6.65

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 SAR 8.70

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$4.05 SAR 15.22

-26.67%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.77 SAR 2.90

-10.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.29 SAR 1.07

34.48%

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

$1.43 SAR 5.38

50.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$0.66 SAR 2.48

175.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$2.27 SAR 8.53

-3.96%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$2.29 SAR 8.58

-1.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$8.66 SAR 32.51

130.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$6.62 SAR 24.88

-45.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$11.58 SAR 43.50

17.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$2.21 SAR 8.30

46.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.74 SAR 6.52

-5.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.50 SAR 5.63

55.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.59 SAR 5.96

30.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$0.69 SAR 2.58

124.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$0.97 SAR 3.63

50.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$1.45 SAR 5.43

-32.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.52 SAR 1.97

-7.69%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.80 SAR 10.53

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 SAR 6.48

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 SAR 9.12

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$7.46 SAR 28.00

-41.69%

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

$1.08 SAR 4.06

31.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$40.59 SAR 152

-71.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$3.28 SAR 12.32

-3.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$1.90 SAR 7.13

-45.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$13.29 SAR 49.91

4.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$0.64 SAR 2.39

109.38%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$35.1K SAR 131.9K

-20.88%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$23.7K SAR 89.1K

40.75%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$103 SAR 386

19.76%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$34.75 SAR 130

-60.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$74.9 SAR 281

-75.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$86.4 SAR 325

-29.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$35.51 SAR 133

-51.68%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$15.93 SAR 59.8

-44.32%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$460 SAR 1,728

49.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$9,463 SAR 35.5K

66.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$59.3 SAR 223

-0.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$63.7 SAR 239

-45.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$108 SAR 406

6.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$97.6 SAR 367

-14.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$439 SAR 1,649

41.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$374 SAR 1,404

19.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$867 SAR 3,255

134.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$614 SAR 2,307

143.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$2,503 SAR 9,398

38.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$1,378 SAR 5,174

83.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.31

0.38%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Al Majma'ah: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $621 in Phuket versus $439 in Al Majma'ah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket versus $53.0 in Al Majma'ah. Groceries tell a different story – $291 in Phuket vs $184 in Al Majma'ah – so Al Majma'ah wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Majma'ah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 3% more than Al Majma'ah, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,896 per month in Phuket and $1,832 in Al Majma'ah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Al Majma'ah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $688 per month in Phuket and $460 in Al Majma'ah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 58% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Al Majma'ah, where all-in costs run around $1,221, than in Phuket at $1,264. In Al Majma'ah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Al Majma'ah costs $1,221 versus $1,264 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Al Majma'ah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.