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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $777 in Al-Rumaitha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,176 in Al-Rumaitha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $1,574 in Al-Rumaitha.

Living in Phuket is roughly 61% more expensive than in Al-Rumaitha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Al-Rumaitha 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$4.00 IQD 5,239

13.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,554

$25.15 IQD 32.9K

83.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿298

$6.71 IQD 8,785

31.74%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.60 IQD 3,408

17.69%

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

$0.73 ฿24.42

$0.39 IQD 515

87.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.40

$0.20 IQD 265

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$2.86 IQD 3,745

-15.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$2.91 IQD 3,809

29.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.33 IQD 1,738

69.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$0.79 IQD 1,031

129.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.66 IQD 2,168

35.54%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.6

$1.74 IQD 2,274

29.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$4.37 IQD 5,727

346.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$4.61 IQD 6,039

-20.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$13.31 IQD 17.4K

-1.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$1.20 IQD 1,570

169.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.15 IQD 1,507

40.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.2

$1.02 IQD 1,330

133.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.2

$0.74 IQD 964

174.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$0.65 IQD 845

135.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$0.67 IQD 872

123.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.93

$0.62 IQD 813

58.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.40

$0.55 IQD 722

-5.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$1.89 IQD 2,479

134.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$12.90 IQD 16.9K

42.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.85 IQD 2,421

0.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.2

$2.08 IQD 2,727

28.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.49

$0.36 IQD 478

291.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

$31.29 IQD 41.0K

-62.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$2.33 IQD 3,054

33.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.08

$1.49 IQD 1,957

-30.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿475

$5.92 IQD 7,756

138.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.13

$0.57 IQD 751

129.82%

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

$27.8K ฿936.0K

$19.2K IQD 25.2M

44.64%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$19.6K IQD 25.7M

69.50%

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

$122 ฿4,120

$78.1 IQD 102.3K

56.73%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$17.49 IQD 22.9K

-22.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$34.43 IQD 45.1K

-45.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,035

$36.84 IQD 48.2K

64.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

$17.12 IQD 22.4K

-0.82%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$7.63 IQD 9,995

18.87%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$153 IQD 200.1K

362.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.8K

$3,328 IQD 4.4M

374.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,970

$26.81 IQD 35.1K

118.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,190

$25.05 IQD 32.8K

41.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,885

$62.3 IQD 81.5K

85.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,818

$40.45 IQD 53.0K

107.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.1K

$239 IQD 313.3K

161.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$179 IQD 234.9K

148.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.7K

$584 IQD 764.6K

249.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$338 IQD 442.7K

341.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.67

-6.00%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Al-Rumaitha: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $239 in Al-Rumaitha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $25.00 in Al-Rumaitha for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $183 per month, with Al-Rumaitha cheaper across the board.

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-Rumaitha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al-Rumaitha is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 61% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,875 in Phuket and $1,165 in Al-Rumaitha 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $626 in Phuket versus $239 in Al-Rumaitha. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,250 per month in Phuket versus $777 in Al-Rumaitha – a 61% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Al-Rumaitha runs roughly 167% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $777 in Al-Rumaitha versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al-Rumaitha but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Al-Rumaitha the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Al-Rumaitha 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-Rumaitha 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-Rumaitha gentler on the wallet – expenses run 61% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.