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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $870 in Al Mukalla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,554 in Al Mukalla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $2,238 in Al Mukalla.

Living in Phuket is roughly 46% more expensive than Al Mukalla, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Al Mukalla 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$16.72 YER 3,985

-71.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$37.33 YER 8,895

21.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$16.27 YER 3,877

-48.19%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$8.09 YER 1,929

-63.78%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$3.77 YER 899

-81.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.78 YER 186

-52.56%

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

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$0.86 YER 205

112.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$6.60 YER 1,572

-67.12%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$7.29 YER 1,738

-69.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$14.27 YER 3,401

38.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$23.34 YER 5,561

-84.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$58.5 YER 13.9K

-76.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$12.76 YER 3,042

-74.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$4.83 YER 1,151

-66.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$4.80 YER 1,144

-49.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$3.20 YER 764

-35.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$5.21 YER 1,243

-70.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$4.16 YER 990

-64.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$2.48 YER 591

-79.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

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

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

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

$122 ฿3,975

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

$13.57 ฿443

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

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

$693 ฿22.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Al Mukalla: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $37.00 in Al Mukalla. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $581, with Phuket 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 Mukalla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Mukalla is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 46% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $1,304 in Al Mukalla to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Shoppers in Phuket pay roughly 98% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Al Mukalla – a meal for two runs $37.00 versus $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $870 in Al Mukalla versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al Mukalla but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Al Mukalla the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Al Mukalla is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Al Mukalla 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 Al Mukalla gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.