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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $1,375 in Al-Qurain, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $2,357 in Al-Qurain, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $3,340 in Al-Qurain, rent included.

Phuket is about 8% cheaper than Al-Qurain, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Al-Qurain is 3% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$9.77 KWD 3.00

-51.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$80.8 KWD 24.77

-43.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$9.09 KWD 2.79

-7.26%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 KWD 0.74

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 KWD 1.14

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$5.79 KWD 1.78

-49.40%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.64 KWD 0.20

7.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.35 KWD 0.11

5.71%

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

$1.55 KWD 0.47

43.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.25 KWD 0.38

46.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.76 KWD 0.54

23.30%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$2.01 KWD 0.62

9.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$5.10 KWD 1.56

287.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$6.43 KWD 1.97

-43.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$10.31 KWD 3.16

31.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.38 KWD 0.73

37.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.87 KWD 0.57

-13.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.81 KWD 0.56

33.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.45 KWD 0.44

43.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$1.21 KWD 0.37

26.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$1.31 KWD 0.40

12.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$1.64 KWD 0.50

-39.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.45 KWD 0.14

13.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.31 KWD 1.01

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 KWD 0.42

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$2.88 KWD 0.88

53.13%

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

$0.82 KWD 0.25

67.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$44.16 KWD 13.54

-74.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$3.20 KWD 0.98

-5.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$3.28 KWD 1.01

-69.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$16.40 KWD 5.03

-14.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$0.33 KWD 0.10

312.12%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$20.9K KWD 6,398

35.18%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$19.6K KWD 5,998

68.25%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$62.3 KWD 19.09

95.50%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$18.27 KWD 5.60

-25.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$26.22 KWD 8.04

-30.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$93.1 KWD 28.56

-35.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$45.92 KWD 14.08

-62.67%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$11.32 KWD 3.47

-23.23%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$403 KWD 124

71.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$6,463 KWD 1,982

142.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$42.95 KWD 13.17

38.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$42.50 KWD 13.04

-18.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$86.5 KWD 26.52

32.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$83.2 KWD 25.52

0.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$795 KWD 244

-22.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$610 KWD 187

-28.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$1,563 KWD 480

33.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$1,283 KWD 394

17.62%

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

$5,657 KWD 1,735

-91.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

7.14

-25.35%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Al-Qurain: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $795 in Al-Qurain. 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 1013% higher in Al-Qurain, 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 $81.0 in Al-Qurain. Groceries tell a different story – $293 in Phuket vs $177 in Al-Qurain – so Al-Qurain 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-Qurain: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Al-Qurain is pricier by about 9%, 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 $2,062 in Al-Qurain. 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.

Public transport costs about 288% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $693 per month in Phuket and $403 in Al-Qurain. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Al-Qurain at $1,375. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Al-Qurain it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Phuket – 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 Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Al-Qurain makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.