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 $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $1,232 in Al-Ula, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,286 per month in Phuket vs $1,845 in Al-Ula, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,310 per month in Phuket vs $2,457 in Al-Ula, rent included.

Phuket costs about 2% more than Al-Ula, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Al-Ula are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Al-Ula 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$6.63 SAR 24.87

-31.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$44.19 SAR 166

5.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$7.87 SAR 29.54

7.62%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.70 SAR 6.38

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.96

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$3.55 SAR 13.33

-14.65%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.75 SAR 2.82

-8.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.29 SAR 1.07

27.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.65 SAR 6.19

32.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$1.00 SAR 3.75

90.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$2.32 SAR 8.70

-5.17%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$2.49 SAR 9.34

-10.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$7.00 SAR 26.28

185.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$7.38 SAR 27.68

-50.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$13.05 SAR 48.98

1.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$2.26 SAR 8.48

42.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.60 SAR 6.00

6.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.75 SAR 6.57

36.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.55 SAR 5.80

34.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.29 SAR 4.84

23.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.31 SAR 4.93

12.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$1.18 SAR 4.44

-12.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.59 SAR 2.23

-11.86%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.76 SAR 10.37

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 SAR 6.33

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SAR 7.88

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$6.98 SAR 26.18

-39.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$1.08 SAR 4.07

25.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$40.10 SAR 150

-71.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$2.62 SAR 9.82

19.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$1.84 SAR 6.89

-43.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$13.39 SAR 50.3

2.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$0.63 SAR 2.37

112.70%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$26.3K SAR 98.7K

5.27%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$22.4K SAR 84.0K

51.19%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$107 SAR 400

16.01%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$34.23 SAR 128

-60.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$71.4 SAR 268

-73.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$87.4 SAR 328

-29.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$35.95 SAR 135

-52.02%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$15.91 SAR 59.7

-42.55%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$354 SAR 1,329

98.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$6,950 SAR 26.1K

128.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$58.2 SAR 218

2.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$59.2 SAR 222

-40.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$78.7 SAR 295

46.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$80.4 SAR 302

4.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$437 SAR 1,640

41.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$376 SAR 1,411

15.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$866 SAR 3,250

138.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$623 SAR 2,336

142.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$2,046 SAR 7,676

78.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$1,326 SAR 4,975

98.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Al-Ula: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Phuket versus $437 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: $293 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: $1,261 in Phuket, $1,232 in Al-Ula – roughly 2% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,892 per month in Phuket and $1,848 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 $703 per month in Phuket and $354 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 $1,232, than in Phuket at $1,261. 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 $1,232 in Al-Ula to $1,261 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.