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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $1,270 in Al Mubarraz, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $1,965 in Al Mubarraz, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $2,660 in Al Mubarraz, rent included.

Phuket is about 2% cheaper than Al Mubarraz, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Phuket and Al Mubarraz are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Al Mubarraz 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$7.48 SAR 28.08

-39.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$37.94 SAR 142

21.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$7.12 SAR 26.72

24.16%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 SAR 6.44

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 SAR 8.18

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$4.00 SAR 15.03

-23.50%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.66 SAR 2.47

10.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.19 SAR 0.72

110.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.68 SAR 6.29

34.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.26 SAR 4.73

43.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$2.43 SAR 9.11

-7.41%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$2.65 SAR 9.93

-15.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$8.36 SAR 31.38

133.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$10.16 SAR 38.15

-64.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$14.49 SAR 54.4

-9.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$2.31 SAR 8.69

39.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.67 SAR 6.28

-2.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$1.86 SAR 6.99

27.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$1.55 SAR 5.80

30.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.28 SAR 4.80

19.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.51 SAR 5.67

-0.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$1.44 SAR 5.42

-31.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.53 SAR 1.97

-1.89%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.79 SAR 10.48

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 SAR 6.75

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 SAR 9.13

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$7.52 SAR 28.24

-40.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$1.09 SAR 4.08

29.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$40.33 SAR 151

-70.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$3.29 SAR 12.37

-5.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$1.91 SAR 7.19

-45.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$13.45 SAR 50.5

4.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$0.54 SAR 2.04

142.59%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$19.8K SAR 74.4K

40.35%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$23.6K SAR 88.5K

40.95%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$104 SAR 392

17.19%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$35.57 SAR 134

-61.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$75.3 SAR 283

-75.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$87.7 SAR 329

-31.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$35.03 SAR 132

-51.53%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$15.69 SAR 58.9

-42.19%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$452 SAR 1,697

56.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$9,474 SAR 35.6K

66.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$59.6 SAR 224

-1.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$63.5 SAR 238

-44.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$107 SAR 401

8.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$99.6 SAR 374

-15.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$438 SAR 1,644

42.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$381 SAR 1,429

16.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$848 SAR 3,184

140.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$632 SAR 2,375

135.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$2,117 SAR 7,947

64.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$1,437 SAR 5,397

79.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$1,073 SAR 4,027

-53.40%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Al Mubarraz: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Phuket versus $438 in Al Mubarraz. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 115% higher in Al Mubarraz, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket versus $38.00 in Al Mubarraz. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $225 – making Al Mubarraz the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Mubarraz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,250 in Phuket, $1,270 in Al Mubarraz – roughly 2% apart. Al Mubarraz costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,875 per month in Phuket and $1,905 in Al Mubarraz. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $706 per month in Phuket and $452 in Al Mubarraz. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 29% cheaper in Al Mubarraz – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,250, than in Al Mubarraz at $1,270. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Al Mubarraz it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,250 in Phuket to $1,270 in Al Mubarraz. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Al Mubarraz makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.