Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Aqaba Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Aqaba

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $925 in Aqaba, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,089 per month in Phuket vs $1,515 in Aqaba, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Phuket vs $2,104 in Aqaba, rent included.

Phuket costs about 37% more than Aqaba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Aqaba are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Aqaba 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$2.87 JOD 2.03

62.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$67.5 JOD 47.73

-52.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$4.11 JOD 2.91

111.19%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$4.43 JOD 3.13

-34.54%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$0.60 JOD 0.43

40.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.60 JOD 0.43

-18.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$8.48 JOD 6.00

-70.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$11.02 JOD 7.80

-66.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$1.45 JOD 1.03

30.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$0.50 JOD 0.36

182.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$1.58 JOD 1.12

2.53%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$1.64 JOD 1.16

36.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$5.49 JOD 3.89

261.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$4.12 JOD 2.92

-15.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$9.70 JOD 6.86

17.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$1.40 JOD 0.99

107.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$1.44 JOD 1.02

19.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$1.07 JOD 0.76

112.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$0.69 JOD 0.49

208.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$0.74 JOD 0.52

98.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$0.73 JOD 0.52

94.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$0.64 JOD 0.45

71.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$0.54 JOD 0.38

11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$3.77 JOD 2.67

14.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$16.98 JOD 12.01

9.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$2.88 JOD 2.04

-37.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$2.45 JOD 1.73

21.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$0.47 JOD 0.33

559.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$1.45 JOD 1.02

-25.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$7.15 JOD 5.06

-45.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$1.49 JOD 1.06

-4.03%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$30.8K JOD 21.8K

-9.88%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$31.0K JOD 22.0K

-13.01%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$131 JOD 92.7

-20.00%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$15.82 JOD 11.20

-28.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$32.04 JOD 22.67

-45.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

$64.2 JOD 45.46

-15.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$11.46 JOD 8.11

-32.11%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$480 JOD 340

20.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$2,811 JOD 1,990

311.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$27.89 JOD 19.74

128.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$42.66 JOD 30.19

-31.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$42.51 JOD 30.08

126.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$70.4 JOD 49.82

27.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$283 JOD 200

159.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$213 JOD 151

135.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

$677 JOD 479

213.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$460 JOD 325

172.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

$1,149 JOD 813

207.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

$569 JOD 403

360.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

$567 JOD 401

-10.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.81

-18.21%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Aqaba: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $733 in Phuket versus $283 in Aqaba. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 12% higher in Aqaba, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $67.0 in Aqaba. Groceries tell a different story – $275 in Phuket vs $188 in Aqaba – so Aqaba 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 Aqaba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 37%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $1,388 in Aqaba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,265 in Phuket and $925 in Aqaba. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $576 per month in Phuket and $480 in Aqaba. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Aqaba, where all-in costs run around $925, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Aqaba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Aqaba – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Aqaba. 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.