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 $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $1,301 in Al Mubarraz, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $1,968 in Al Mubarraz, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $2,635 in Al Mubarraz, rent included.

Phuket is about 3% 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 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$7.48 SAR 28.08

-37.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$39.01 SAR 146

16.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$7.10 SAR 26.64

18.73%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 SAR 6.66

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 SAR 8.14

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$4.12 SAR 15.47

-28.88%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.64 SAR 2.39

7.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.17 SAR 0.65

117.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.69 SAR 6.34

31.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.33 SAR 4.97

37.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$2.39 SAR 8.98

-9.21%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$2.61 SAR 9.81

-15.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$8.63 SAR 32.40

128.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$10.14 SAR 38.05

-64.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$14.87 SAR 55.8

-9.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.24 SAR 8.43

46.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.74 SAR 6.54

-7.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.79 SAR 6.73

34.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.55 SAR 5.82

34.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$1.24 SAR 4.64

23.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$1.45 SAR 5.44

2.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$1.41 SAR 5.28

-29.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.53 SAR 1.98

-3.77%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.81 SAR 10.53

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.73

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 SAR 9.01

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$7.44 SAR 27.92

-40.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$1.09 SAR 4.07

25.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$40.01 SAR 150

-71.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$3.25 SAR 12.20

-7.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$1.85 SAR 6.95

-46.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$13.56 SAR 50.9

3.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$0.54 SAR 2.01

151.85%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$19.9K SAR 74.7K

41.63%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$23.5K SAR 88.0K

40.28%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$105 SAR 395

15.60%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$35.26 SAR 132

-61.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$75.4 SAR 283

-75.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$89.1 SAR 334

-32.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$35.02 SAR 131

-51.06%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$15.68 SAR 58.9

-44.58%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$464 SAR 1,742

49.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$9,567 SAR 35.9K

63.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$59.4 SAR 223

0.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$65.1 SAR 244

-46.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$107 SAR 402

7.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$98.6 SAR 370

-15.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$439 SAR 1,649

39.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$374 SAR 1,404

16.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$843 SAR 3,163

148.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$611 SAR 2,295

146.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$2,358 SAR 8,850

59.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$1,336 SAR 5,012

95.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$1,047 SAR 3,930

-51.47%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Al Mubarraz: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $439 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 106% 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 $45.00 in Phuket versus $39.00 in Al Mubarraz. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $227 – 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: $1,265 in Phuket, $1,301 in Al Mubarraz – roughly 3% apart. Al Mubarraz costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $1,952 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 $693 per month in Phuket and $464 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 $1,265, than in Al Mubarraz at $1,301. 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 $1,265 in Phuket to $1,301 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.