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: $1,232 in Phuket versus $387 in Al-Rumaitha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,237 in Al-Rumaitha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $2,087 in Al-Rumaitha.

Living in Phuket is roughly 219% more expensive than in Al-Rumaitha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Al-Rumaitha 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿146

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,071

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.1

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

$0.88 ฿29.22

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.97

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿61.9

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.68

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.5

$0.78 IQD 1,026

98.72%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿69.8

$1.88 IQD 2,464

11.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿650

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$1.86 IQD 2,426

83.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿378

$10.58 IQD 13.8K

7.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.1

$0.78 IQD 1,019

282.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿55.9

$0.74 IQD 963

127.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.3

$0.73 IQD 956

202.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿71.8

$0.36 IQD 476

500.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.6

$0.37 IQD 479

310.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.43

$0.39 IQD 510

243.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.47

$0.39 IQD 512

189.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.14

$0.40 IQD 520

37.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$1.50 IQD 1,960

184.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿634

$13.23 IQD 17.3K

44.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.1

$1.50 IQD 1,968

18.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.4

$2.27 IQD 2,967

22.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.0

$0.39 IQD 511

471.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿755

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$2.22 IQD 2,907

36.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿33.96

$0.74 IQD 964

37.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿129

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.50

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

$26.6K ฿882.5K

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

$27.0K ฿897.4K

$9,177 IQD 12.0M

194.54%

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

$102 ฿3,402

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

$11.33 ฿376

$76.9 IQD 100.6K

-85.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿578

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,729

$26.69 IQD 34.9K

95.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿368

$3.72 IQD 4,871

197.58%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿255

$11.58 IQD 15.1K

-33.59%

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

$561 ฿18.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿382.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,093

$11.29 IQD 14.8K

458.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿980

$15.43 IQD 20.2K

91.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,254

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,938

$23.27 IQD 30.4K

280.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.5K

$152 IQD 199.4K

384.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.0K

$114 IQD 148.7K

324.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿69.9K

$230 IQD 300.8K

816.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.7K

$1,541 IQD 2.0M

-20.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

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: September 15, 2026

Last update for Al-Rumaitha: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $152 in Al-Rumaitha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

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, Getting Around. The 219% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $580 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: $738 in Phuket versus $152 in Al-Rumaitha. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 145% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $387 in Al-Rumaitha – a 219% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $387 in Al-Rumaitha versus $1,232 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 219% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.