Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ar-rass Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ar-rass

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,223 in Phuket versus $1,147 in Ar-rass.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Phuket versus $1,752 in Ar-rass.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,251 in Phuket versus $2,358 in Ar-rass.

Living in Phuket is roughly 7% more expensive than in Ar-rass, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Ar-rass 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿148

$6.51 SAR 24.42

-30.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,528

$45.25 SAR 170

3.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿278

$8.03 SAR 30.13

5.73%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 SAR 6.36

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.58

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿101

$3.76 SAR 14.10

-18.09%

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

$0.68 ฿22.26

$0.75 SAR 2.81

-9.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.84

$0.31 SAR 1.18

16.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿79.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.7

$2.37 SAR 8.90

-7.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.5

$1.06 SAR 3.97

70.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿73.1

$1.52 SAR 5.70

46.71%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿73.3

$3.75 SAR 14.06

-40.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿642

$6.97 SAR 26.17

181.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿122

$7.37 SAR 27.65

-49.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿441

$13.16 SAR 49.39

2.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿110

$2.20 SAR 8.25

52.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.65 SAR 6.19

-1.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.69 SAR 6.35

42.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿65.2

$1.63 SAR 6.11

22.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.2

$1.25 SAR 4.68

22.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.59

$1.33 SAR 4.99

9.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿33.23

$1.18 SAR 4.43

-14.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.86

$0.59 SAR 2.23

-18.64%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.16 SAR 11.85

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 SAR 6.55

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 SAR 7.84

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$6.31 SAR 23.68

-32.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿627

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿60.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.44

$1.10 SAR 4.13

29.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿384

$40.32 SAR 151

-70.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿98.4

$2.73 SAR 10.23

9.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.28

$1.86 SAR 6.97

-43.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿456

$13.07 SAR 49.04

6.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿42.28

$0.62 SAR 2.34

108.06%

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

$28.0K ฿918.7K

$26.8K SAR 100.6K

4.54%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$22.5K SAR 84.4K

48.97%

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

$122 ฿3,997

$104 SAR 390

17.27%

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

$13.93 ฿457

$33.48 SAR 126

-58.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿618

$72.0 SAR 270

-73.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿2,008

$44.04 SAR 165

39.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿552

$35.78 SAR 134

-52.93%

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿291

$15.91 SAR 59.7

-44.12%

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

$691 ฿22.7K

$352 SAR 1,320

96.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿529.5K

$7,111 SAR 26.7K

127.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,894

$21.03 SAR 78.9

174.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,160

$61.5 SAR 231

-42.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,716

$79.6 SAR 299

42.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,720

$81.1 SAR 304

2.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.9K

$435 SAR 1,634

39.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.7K

$378 SAR 1,417

18.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.5K

$386 SAR 1,449

425.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.9K

$631 SAR 2,367

136.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿117.5K

$2,194 SAR 8,236

63.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.7K

$1,392 SAR 5,224

85.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.5K

$1,757 SAR 6,593

-71.27%

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 13, 2026

Last update for Ar-rass: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $607 in Phuket and $435 in Ar-rass. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ar-rass pays 248% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $45.00 in Ar-rass for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $207 per month, with Ar-rass cheaper across the board.

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 Ar-rass: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Ar-rass differ by about 7% in total monthly costs ($1,223 vs $1,147 including rent). Ar-rass is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 248% lower in Ar-rass. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $607 in Phuket versus $435 in Ar-rass. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $691 in Phuket versus $352 in Ar-rass. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 41% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,147 in Ar-rass versus $1,223 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ar-rass but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Ar-rass the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Ar-rass 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 Ar-rass gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.