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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $1,170 in Al-Ula, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $1,763 in Al-Ula, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $2,356 in Al-Ula, rent included.

Phuket costs about 5% more than Al-Ula, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Phuket and Al-Ula are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 10% lower, Al-Ula 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$6.78 SAR 25.47

-34.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,074

$37.83 SAR 142

-14.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

$8.02 SAR 30.13

11.35%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.84 SAR 6.91

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 SAR 7.69

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.4

$3.52 SAR 13.22

-17.61%

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

$0.88 ฿29.30

$0.88 SAR 3.29

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.01

$0.24 SAR 0.90

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.1

$1.74 SAR 6.54

7.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.81

$1.17 SAR 4.38

25.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.7

$2.14 SAR 8.05

-27.57%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.0

$2.30 SAR 8.64

-8.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿652

$7.57 SAR 28.43

158.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$8.24 SAR 30.95

-58.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿379

$12.88 SAR 48.39

-11.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.3

$2.15 SAR 8.08

38.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.1

$1.78 SAR 6.68

-5.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

$1.63 SAR 6.12

35.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.0

$1.67 SAR 6.26

29.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.8

$1.18 SAR 4.42

28.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.55

$1.34 SAR 5.03

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.57

$1.20 SAR 4.51

-5.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.19

$0.59 SAR 2.20

-6.78%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.85 SAR 10.71

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 SAR 6.27

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 SAR 8.20

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$6.49 SAR 24.38

-34.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.2

$1.08 SAR 4.07

106.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿757

$36.61 SAR 138

-37.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$2.96 SAR 11.10

2.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.06

$1.83 SAR 6.87

-44.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$13.06 SAR 49.05

-70.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.63

$0.60 SAR 2.24

148.33%

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

$26.6K ฿884.9K

$45.5K SAR 171.0K

-41.62%

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

$27.0K ฿899.8K

$21.3K SAR 80.2K

26.62%

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

$102 ฿3,411

$99.1 SAR 372

3.39%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$32.70 SAR 123

-65.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿579

$66.5 SAR 250

-73.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,734

$85.5 SAR 321

-39.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿369

$36.82 SAR 138

-69.93%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$13.05 SAR 49.04

-41.07%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$344 SAR 1,294

62.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿383.0K

$6,746 SAR 25.3K

70.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,098

$49.83 SAR 187

26.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿983

$58.8 SAR 221

-49.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,263

$97.7 SAR 367

0.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,946

$87.2 SAR 328

1.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$583 SAR 2,190

26.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$341 SAR 1,280

41.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.1K

$894 SAR 3,358

135.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

$557 SAR 2,093

119.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.4K

$2,395 SAR 8,998

50.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.7K

$1,349 SAR 5,068

92.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.47

1.83%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Al-Ula: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Phuket versus $583 in Al-Ula. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $38.00 in Al-Ula. Groceries tell a different story – $274 in Phuket vs $204 in Al-Ula – so Al-Ula 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-Ula: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,232 in Phuket, $1,170 in Al-Ula – roughly 5% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $1,754 in Al-Ula. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Al-Ula, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $561 per month in Phuket and $344 in Al-Ula. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 34% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Al-Ula, where all-in costs run around $1,170, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Al-Ula it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,170 in Al-Ula to $1,232 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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-Ula. 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.