Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ar-rustaq

For one person, living is cheaper in Ar-rustaq: $953 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $3,900 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Phuket outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Phuket, Thailand
Ar-rustaq, Oman
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Ar-rustaq
🇴🇲 Oman
$953
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Ar-rustaq

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Ar-rustaq actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,278 per month in Phuket vs $953 in Ar-rustaq, rent included.

  • Phuket $1,278
  • Ar-rustaq $953

A couple spends around $2,216 per month in Phuket vs $1,432 in Ar-rustaq, rent included.

  • Phuket $2,216
  • Ar-rustaq $1,432

A family of three spends $3,154 per month in Phuket vs $1,910 in Ar-rustaq, rent included.

  • Phuket $3,154
  • Ar-rustaq $1,910

Phuket costs about 34% more than Ar-rustaq, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Phuket and Ar-rustaq are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Ar-rustaq 30% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Ar-rustaq
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.47 ฿151
$5.33 OMR 2.05
-16.14%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.41 ฿1,094
$39.16 OMR 15.08
-17.24%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.81 ฿297
$7.82 OMR 3.01
12.66%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿95.5
$5.21 OMR 2.01
-45.68%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 ฿29.43
$0.84 OMR 0.32
3.57%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.67
$0.27 OMR 0.10
81.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.56 ฿86.4
$12.78 OMR 4.92
-79.97%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 ฿124
$13.19 OMR 5.08
-72.10%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Ar-rustaq
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 ฿56.0
$2.39 OMR 0.92
-30.54%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 ฿49.35
$1.20 OMR 0.46
21.67%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.6
$1.95 OMR 0.75
-23.08%
Eggs
$2.09 ฿70.5
$3.08 OMR 1.19
-32.14%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.07 ฿644
$7.11 OMR 2.74
168.21%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿111
$6.96 OMR 2.68
-52.59%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.91 ฿368
$10.14 OMR 3.90
7.59%
Apples (1kg)
$2.93 ฿99.0
$3.51 OMR 1.35
-16.52%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿57.1
$2.03 OMR 0.78
-16.75%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.25 ฿75.8
$2.40 OMR 0.92
-6.25%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿70.1
$1.28 OMR 0.49
62.50%
Potato (1kg)
$1.51 ฿51.0
$1.17 OMR 0.45
29.06%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.56
$1.22 OMR 0.47
13.11%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.99
$1.86 OMR 0.72
-42.47%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.52
$0.68 OMR 0.26
-23.53%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20 ฿142
$6.65 OMR 2.56
-36.84%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.79 ฿634
$15.55 OMR 5.99
20.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ฿61.5
$5.85 OMR 2.25
-68.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 ฿95.9
$10.05 OMR 3.87
-71.74%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Ar-rustaq
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿49.03
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$56.7 ฿1,913
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿102
$3.24 OMR 1.25
-6.79%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 ฿34.36
$2.57 OMR 0.99
-60.31%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.69 ฿125
$8.03 OMR 3.09
-54.05%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.81
$0.59 OMR 0.23
149.15%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K ฿904.3K
$25.4K OMR 9,784
5.37%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿901.3K
$20.9K OMR 8,060
27.49%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Ar-rustaq
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,254
$177 OMR 68.3
-45.66%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.26 ฿380
$30.29 OMR 11.66
-62.83%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.85 ฿569
$71.6 OMR 27.58
-76.48%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Ar-rustaq
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 ฿2,270
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.73 ฿362
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.50 ฿253
$10.25 OMR 3.95
-26.83%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Ar-rustaq
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$476 ฿16.1K
$508 OMR 196
-6.32%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.3K ฿380.4K
$10.5K OMR 4,030
7.61%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Ar-rustaq
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.4 ฿2,106
$55.9 OMR 21.53
11.54%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.41 ฿959
$43.75 OMR 16.84
-35.06%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.3 ฿3,184
$88.6 OMR 34.12
6.39%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8 ฿2,898
$86.4 OMR 33.26
-0.67%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Ar-rustaq
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$716 ฿24.2K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$491 ฿16.6K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,927 ฿65.1K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,431 ฿48.3K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,175 ฿141.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,045 ฿102.8K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Ar-rustaq
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$502 ฿17.0K
$4,358 OMR 1,678
-88.48%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
5.25
6.10%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Ar-rustaq: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$491
Ar-rustaq
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$266
Ar-rustaq
$290 9% $24
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$124
Ar-rustaq
$279 124% $155
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$122
Ar-rustaq
$124 1.4% $1.7
Eating Out
Phuket
$122
Ar-rustaq
$223 83.5% $102
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$82
Ar-rustaq
$21 * 75.1% $62
Getting Around
Phuket
$71
Ar-rustaq
$16 * 77.2% $54

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Salaries in Ar-rustaq are about 8.7 times higher, 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 in Phuket versus $39 in Ar-rustaq. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $266 vs $290 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇴🇲 Ar-rustaq
🕒 Local time
03:26 3:26 AM
00:26 12:26 AM
3 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
120,000
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Omani Rial OMR ر.ع.
Exchange rates and currency converter

OMR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Omani Rial exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.385 OMR (1 OMR = 2.6 USD). 1 EUR = 0.429 OMR (1 OMR = 2.33 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Ar-rustaq 4,690 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Ar-rustaq

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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-rustaq: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ar-rustaq cheaper than Phuket?
Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 34%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in leisure.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,917 per month in Phuket and $1,430 in Ar-rustaq. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What are total monthly expenses in Phuket and in Ar-rustaq?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,278 in Phuket and $953 in Ar-rustaq. That makes Ar-rustaq about 25% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $476 per month in Phuket and $508 in Ar-rustaq. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is it better to live in Phuket or in Ar-rustaq?
It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $953 in Ar-rustaq to $1,278 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Ar-rustaq?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

Phuket vs other spots: cost of living compared

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