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: $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,108 in Ar-rass.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,078 in Phuket versus $1,701 in Ar-rass.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,896 in Phuket versus $2,295 in Ar-rass.

Living in Phuket is roughly 14% more expensive than in Ar-rass, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Ar-rass 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.43 ฿145

$6.55 SAR 24.59

-32.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.07 ฿1,151

$37.98 SAR 143

-7.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 ฿294

$7.83 SAR 29.39

14.43%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 SAR 6.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 SAR 7.33

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.4

$3.45 SAR 12.96

-13.04%

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

$0.77 ฿25.33

$0.88 SAR 3.31

-12.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ฿15.44

$0.24 SAR 0.90

95.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 ฿78.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿123

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 ฿59.8

$1.85 SAR 6.96

-1.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 ฿46.65

$0.42 SAR 1.57

238.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.8

$1.90 SAR 7.14

-18.42%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$3.57 SAR 13.42

-40.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.76 ฿648

$7.33 SAR 27.50

169.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿114

$7.92 SAR 29.75

-56.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.09 ฿364

$13.15 SAR 49.38

-15.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 ฿95.5

$2.17 SAR 8.15

34.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ฿54.6

$1.65 SAR 6.19

0.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿74.5

$1.61 SAR 6.03

40.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 ฿68.8

$1.62 SAR 6.10

29.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.24

$1.15 SAR 4.32

27.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 ฿46.29

$1.38 SAR 5.20

2.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ฿35.78

$1.16 SAR 4.34

-6.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ฿17.58

$0.60 SAR 2.24

-10.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.76 SAR 10.36

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 SAR 6.60

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 SAR 8.22

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.48 ฿147

$7.77 SAR 29.17

-42.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.72 ฿614

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿60.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 ฿96.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 ฿74.1

$1.06 SAR 3.97

113.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.07 ฿757

$35.36 SAR 133

-34.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ฿99.9

$2.97 SAR 11.14

2.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 ฿35.82

$1.76 SAR 6.61

-38.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 ฿125

$13.29 SAR 49.91

-71.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿48.79

$0.63 SAR 2.37

136.51%

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

$27.4K ฿900.3K

$45.7K SAR 171.6K

-39.98%

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

$27.5K ฿902.7K

$21.5K SAR 80.9K

27.75%

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

$102 ฿3,340

$101 SAR 379

0.92%

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

$11.28 ฿370

$23.94 SAR 89.9

-52.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.75 ฿582

$59.9 SAR 225

-70.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 ฿1,777

$44.34 SAR 166

22.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.96 ฿360

$36.81 SAR 138

-70.23%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 ฿258

$13.20 SAR 49.58

-40.53%

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

$577 ฿18.9K

$345 SAR 1,295

67.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿381.6K

$6,555 SAR 24.6K

77.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 ฿2,144

$51.4 SAR 193

27.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.89 ฿948

$59.3 SAR 223

-51.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 ฿3,250

$98.6 SAR 370

0.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,961

$89.2 SAR 335

1.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$756 ฿24.8K

$591 SAR 2,220

27.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 ฿16.0K

$348 SAR 1,306

40.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿68.4K

$388 SAR 1,456

437.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 ฿39.6K

$545 SAR 2,046

121.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,591 ฿117.8K

$2,321 SAR 8,715

54.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,610 ฿85.6K

$1,390 SAR 5,217

87.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿16.5K

$1,714 SAR 6,434

-70.69%

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: August 18, 2026

Last update for Ar-rass: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $756 in Phuket and $591 in Ar-rass. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ar-rass pays 241% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $35.00 in Phuket vs $38.00 in Ar-rass. Groceries flip the comparison at $272 vs $199, with Ar-rass cheaper for home cooking.

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 14% in total monthly costs ($1,261 vs $1,108 including rent). Ar-rass is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 241% 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: $756 in Phuket versus $591 in Ar-rass. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $577 in Phuket versus $345 in Ar-rass. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 37% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,108 in Ar-rass versus $1,261 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 14% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.