Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Al-qardahah Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Al-qardahah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $523 in Al-qardahah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $819 in Al-qardahah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $1,114 in Al-qardahah, rent included.

Phuket costs about 142% more than Al-qardahah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Al-qardahah are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Al-qardahah 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$5.92 SYP 654

-20.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$27.69 SYP 3,060

63.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$5.53 SYP 611

52.44%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$1.56 SYP 172

87.82%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$1.12 SYP 123

-38.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.73 SYP 81.2

-49.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.64 SYP 181

46.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.51 SYP 278

48.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$0.94 SYP 104

137.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$0.64 SYP 70.3

185.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.68 SYP 185

29.17%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$1.92 SYP 212

15.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$3.10 SYP 343

536.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$7.69 SYP 849

-52.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$11.35 SYP 1,255

19.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$0.87 SYP 96.6

277.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.82 SYP 201

-11.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.03 SYP 114

133.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$0.89 SYP 98.8

133.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$0.66 SYP 72.6

131.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$0.66 SYP 73.1

124.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.41 SYP 45.24

141.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.57 SYP 63.4

-10.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$3.08 SYP 340

43.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$5.96 SYP 658

225.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.02 SYP 113

74.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$1.85 SYP 204

46.49%

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

$1.02 SYP 113

196.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$1.29 SYP 142

-23.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$6.52 SYP 721

116.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$3.76 SYP 416

-63.83%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$18.1K SYP 2.0M

55.47%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$21.3K SYP 2.4M

54.59%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$102 SYP 11.3K

19.00%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$8.36 SYP 923

62.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$54.5 SYP 6,023

-66.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$2.95 SYP 326

194.58%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$44.02 SYP 4,864

1475.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$1,819 SYP 201.0K

762.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$29.62 SYP 3,273

100.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$25.95 SYP 2,868

33.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$45.48 SYP 5,026

151.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$55.3 SYP 6,112

50.59%

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

13.75

-61.24%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Al-qardahah: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket versus $28.00 in Al-qardahah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $168 – making Al-qardahah 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-qardahah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 142%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $785 in Al-qardahah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket and $28.00 in Al-qardahah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 74% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Al-qardahah, where all-in costs run around $523, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Al-qardahah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Al-qardahah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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