Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Al Mukalla

For one person, living is cheaper in Al Mukalla: $842 a month against $1,208 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $4,400 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Phuket outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,208

/mo nomad

Al Mukalla

🇾🇪 Yemen

$842

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Al Mukalla

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Al Mukalla actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,208 in Phuket versus $842 in Al Mukalla.

Phuket $1,208
Al Mukalla $842

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,027 in Phuket versus $1,654 in Al Mukalla.

Phuket $2,027
Al Mukalla $1,654

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,845 in Phuket versus $2,466 in Al Mukalla.

Phuket $2,845
Al Mukalla $2,466

Living in Phuket is roughly 44% more expensive than in Al Mukalla, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 11% lower, Al Mukalla 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.40 ฿147

$16.88 YER 3,983

-73.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,078

$84.8 YER 20.0K

-61.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿293

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿94.5

$8.45 YER 1,992

-66.51%

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

$0.90 ฿30.14

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ฿15.56

$0.89 YER 210

-47.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.55 ฿85.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 ฿128

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.7

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿49.11

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 ฿50.6

Eggs

$2.17 ฿72.7

$10.58 YER 2,496

-79.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.70 ฿658

$15.08 YER 3,557

30.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.34 ฿112

$25.73 YER 6,070

-87.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.16 ฿373

$58.5 YER 13.8K

-80.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 ฿95.1

$14.61 YER 3,446

-80.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿56.9

$6.37 YER 1,503

-73.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 ฿73.3

$4.94 YER 1,165

-55.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$3.29 YER 776

-37.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 ฿48.57

$7.71 YER 1,818

-81.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.16

$4.15 YER 978

-66.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.69

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.91

$2.58 YER 609

-80.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

Wine (Bottle)

$18.58 ฿621

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿95.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 ฿75.6

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.10 ฿738

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 ฿101

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 ฿35.34

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.86 ฿129

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.45

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

$26.3K ฿879.9K

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

$26.9K ฿900.4K

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

$96.4 ฿3,221

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

$11.04 ฿369

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.14 ฿573

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 ฿1,744

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.16 ฿373

Cinema Ticket

$7.81 ฿261

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

$556 ฿18.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿387.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.2 ฿2,146

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.69 ฿959

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.4 ฿3,187

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.0 ฿2,940

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 ฿24.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ฿15.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,095 ฿70.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,201 ฿40.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,488 ฿116.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,523 ฿84.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$501 ฿16.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phuket: October 19, 2026

Last update for Al Mukalla: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$462 38.3%

Al Mukalla

–

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$269 22.2%

Al Mukalla

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$125 10.3%

Al Mukalla

–

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$124 10.3%

Al Mukalla

–

Eating Out

Phuket

$121 10%

Al Mukalla

–

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$68 5.6%

Al Mukalla

–

Getting Around

Phuket

$39 3.3%

Al Mukalla

–

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $85.0 in Al Mukalla for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $602 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇾🇪 Al Mukalla

🕒 Local time

02:14 2:14 AM

22:14 10:14 PM

4 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

176,942

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Yemeni Rial YER ﷼

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1,000 YER = 4.24 USD

1,000 YER = 3.77 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

YER, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Yemeni Rial exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 236 YER (1,000 YER = 4.24 USD). 1 EUR = 265 YER (1,000 YER = 3.77 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Phuket Al Mukalla 5,410 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

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Phuket
Al Mukalla

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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, leisure, and transport. The 44% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,813 in Phuket and $1,262 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 124% 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 $85.0 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $842 in Al Mukalla versus $1,208 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 44% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.