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 $1,217 in Al-Ula, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Phuket vs $1,851 in Al-Ula, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,279 per month in Phuket vs $2,485 in Al-Ula, rent included.

Phuket costs about 1% more than Al-Ula, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Al-Ula are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Al-Ula 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$6.72 SAR 25.20

-31.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,523

$44.32 SAR 166

5.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿287

$8.08 SAR 30.29

9.41%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 SAR 6.68

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿97.4

$3.56 SAR 13.37

-15.73%

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

$0.74 ฿24.11

$0.75 SAR 2.83

-1.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.88

$0.29 SAR 1.08

27.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿117

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.5

$1.69 SAR 6.33

33.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿59.8

$0.95 SAR 3.57

93.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.0

$2.30 SAR 8.62

-2.61%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.3

$2.41 SAR 9.03

-3.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿639

$6.94 SAR 26.02

183.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$7.71 SAR 28.91

-52.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿426

$12.84 SAR 48.15

2.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿110

$2.18 SAR 8.18

55.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.4

$1.63 SAR 6.12

0.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.5

$1.67 SAR 6.26

44.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.0

$1.56 SAR 5.85

30.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.6

$1.27 SAR 4.77

22.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.66

$1.32 SAR 4.96

13.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.30

$1.19 SAR 4.47

-14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿15.91

$0.59 SAR 2.22

-16.95%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.82 SAR 10.56

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 SAR 6.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 SAR 7.47

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$7.06 SAR 26.49

-36.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿614

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿57.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿89.5

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.54

$1.05 SAR 3.93

33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿373

$39.40 SAR 148

-70.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿101

$2.67 SAR 10.02

16.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.48

$1.86 SAR 6.96

-46.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿458

$13.06 SAR 48.96

7.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿43.93

$0.61 SAR 2.29

121.31%

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

$27.2K ฿883.7K

$26.8K SAR 100.3K

1.61%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$22.1K SAR 83.0K

48.77%

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

$125 ฿4,063

$107 SAR 400

17.12%

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

$13.57 ฿441

$34.21 SAR 128

-60.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿602

$71.9 SAR 270

-74.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿1,999

$87.0 SAR 326

-29.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

$35.52 SAR 133

-52.59%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿299

$15.79 SAR 59.2

-41.80%

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

$698 ฿22.7K

$346 SAR 1,297

101.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿506.9K

$7,057 SAR 26.5K

120.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$60.3 SAR 226

-4.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,146

$60.7 SAR 227

-41.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,677

$79.6 SAR 298

42.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,808

$81.6 SAR 306

5.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.0K

$446 SAR 1,671

38.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.5K

$377 SAR 1,413

18.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿66.6K

$850 SAR 3,188

140.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.5K

$634 SAR 2,377

135.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿122.8K

$2,323 SAR 8,710

62.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.1K

$1,352 SAR 5,070

95.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

4.42

20.59%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Al-Ula: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $616 in Phuket versus $446 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 $47.00 in Phuket versus $44.00 in Al-Ula. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $197 – making Al-Ula 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-Ula: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,232 in Phuket, $1,217 in Al-Ula – roughly 1% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $1,825 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 $698 per month in Phuket and $346 in Al-Ula. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 49% 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 $1,217, 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 $1,217 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.