Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Arar Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Arar

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $1,221 in Arar, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $1,863 in Arar, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $2,506 in Arar, rent included.

Phuket costs about 4% more than Arar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Arar are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Arar 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$6.83 SAR 25.65

-31.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$44.99 SAR 169

0.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$7.94 SAR 29.80

6.17%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 SAR 6.54

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 SAR 6.60

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$3.74 SAR 14.04

-21.66%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.78 SAR 2.93

-11.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.31 SAR 1.17

19.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.63 SAR 6.14

36.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.01 SAR 3.80

81.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$2.39 SAR 8.97

-9.21%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$2.45 SAR 9.18

-9.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$6.92 SAR 25.95

185.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$7.65 SAR 28.71

-52.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$12.96 SAR 48.65

4.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.27 SAR 8.50

44.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.58 SAR 5.94

1.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.68 SAR 6.32

43.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.55 SAR 5.82

34.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$1.24 SAR 4.65

23.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$1.26 SAR 4.74

17.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$1.23 SAR 4.60

-19.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.55 SAR 2.05

-7.27%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.18 SAR 11.94

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 SAR 6.54

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 SAR 7.74

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$7.16 SAR 26.87

-38.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$1.10 SAR 4.12

24.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$40.09 SAR 150

-71.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$2.70 SAR 10.14

11.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$1.82 SAR 6.81

-45.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$13.28 SAR 49.85

6.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$0.64 SAR 2.39

112.50%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$26.6K SAR 99.7K

6.15%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$21.9K SAR 82.4K

49.90%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$103 SAR 388

17.79%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$34.41 SAR 129

-60.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$76.1 SAR 286

-75.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$87.2 SAR 327

-30.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$35.10 SAR 132

-51.17%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$15.56 SAR 58.4

-44.15%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$358 SAR 1,344

93.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$6,921 SAR 26.0K

126.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$59.0 SAR 221

0.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$60.9 SAR 229

-42.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$78.9 SAR 296

45.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$82.3 SAR 309

1.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$442 SAR 1,657

38.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$380 SAR 1,427

14.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$860 SAR 3,228

143.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$616 SAR 2,312

145.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$2,117 SAR 7,944

77.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$1,299 SAR 4,876

101.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

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 2, 2026

Last update for Arar: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $442 in Arar. 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 $45.00 in Phuket versus $45.00 in Arar. Groceries tell a different story – $293 in Phuket vs $197 in Arar – so Arar 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 Arar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,265 in Phuket, $1,221 in Arar – roughly 4% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $1,832 in Arar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 252% less in Arar. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $693 per month in Phuket and $358 in Arar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Arar, where all-in costs run around $1,221, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Arar 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 $1,221 in Arar to $1,265 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 Arar. 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.