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 $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $1,240 in Al Mubarraz, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $1,880 in Al Mubarraz, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $2,519 in Al Mubarraz, rent included.

Phuket is about 1% cheaper than Al Mubarraz, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Phuket and Al Mubarraz are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 10% lower, Al Mubarraz 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$7.62 SAR 28.62

-42.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,074

$36.77 SAR 138

-12.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

$8.03 SAR 30.15

11.21%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 SAR 7.71

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 SAR 7.79

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.4

$4.34 SAR 16.29

-33.18%

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

$0.88 ฿29.30

$0.68 SAR 2.56

29.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.01

$0.28 SAR 1.06

71.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.1

$1.72 SAR 6.44

8.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.81

$1.31 SAR 4.91

12.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.7

$2.34 SAR 8.79

-33.76%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.0

$3.20 SAR 12.01

-34.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿652

$9.73 SAR 36.56

101.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$9.65 SAR 36.25

-64.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿379

$15.49 SAR 58.2

-26.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.3

$2.75 SAR 10.32

8.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.1

$1.94 SAR 7.27

-13.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

$2.27 SAR 8.51

-2.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.0

$1.74 SAR 6.53

24.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.8

$1.19 SAR 4.47

27.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.55

$1.37 SAR 5.15

-2.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.57

$1.66 SAR 6.22

-31.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.19

$0.60 SAR 2.24

-8.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.78 SAR 10.44

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.59

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 SAR 9.25

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$7.48 SAR 28.09

-43.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.2

$1.05 SAR 3.94

112.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿757

$36.55 SAR 137

-37.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$3.28 SAR 12.30

-7.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.06

$1.88 SAR 7.05

-45.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$13.26 SAR 49.82

-70.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.63

$0.61 SAR 2.28

144.26%

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

$26.6K ฿884.9K

$36.3K SAR 136.5K

-26.87%

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

$27.0K ฿899.8K

$22.6K SAR 84.8K

19.68%

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

$102 ฿3,411

$96.1 SAR 361

6.67%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$32.18 SAR 121

-64.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿579

$70.1 SAR 263

-75.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,734

$85.7 SAR 322

-39.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿369

$36.68 SAR 138

-69.82%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$13.52 SAR 50.8

-43.12%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$551 SAR 2,070

1.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿383.0K

$11.2K SAR 42.2K

2.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,098

$58.1 SAR 218

8.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿983

$57.2 SAR 215

-48.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,263

$110 SAR 413

-10.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,946

$108 SAR 404

-17.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$574 SAR 2,157

28.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$347 SAR 1,302

39.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.1K

$886 SAR 3,330

137.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

$550 SAR 2,066

122.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.4K

$2,371 SAR 8,904

52.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.7K

$1,396 SAR 5,243

86.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

$1,063 SAR 3,992

-53.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.54

0.54%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Al Mubarraz: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Phuket versus $574 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $37.00 in Al Mubarraz. Groceries tell a different story – $274 in Phuket vs $240 in Al Mubarraz – so Al Mubarraz 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 Mubarraz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,232 in Phuket, $1,240 in Al Mubarraz – roughly 1% apart. Al Mubarraz costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $1,860 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 $561 per month in Phuket and $551 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 14% 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 $1,232, than in Al Mubarraz at $1,240. 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 $1,232 in Phuket to $1,240 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.