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 $1,168 in Arar, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,089 per month in Phuket vs $1,788 in Arar, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Phuket vs $2,407 in Arar, rent included.

Phuket costs about 8% more than Arar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Arar are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Arar 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$7.10 SAR 26.68

-34.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$35.60 SAR 134

-9.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$8.47 SAR 31.81

2.48%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.87 SAR 7.04

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 SAR 6.92

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$3.46 SAR 12.99

-16.18%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$0.95 SAR 3.58

-11.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.27 SAR 1.01

81.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$1.49 SAR 5.59

26.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$1.10 SAR 4.13

28.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$2.22 SAR 8.34

-27.03%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$2.69 SAR 10.08

-16.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$6.50 SAR 24.41

205.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$7.19 SAR 27.01

-51.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$14.11 SAR 53.0

-19.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$2.35 SAR 8.82

23.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$1.78 SAR 6.70

-3.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$1.36 SAR 5.12

66.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$1.77 SAR 6.66

20.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$1.02 SAR 3.84

44.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$1.38 SAR 5.20

2.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$1.22 SAR 4.60

-9.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$0.49 SAR 1.85

22.45%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.89 SAR 10.86

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 SAR 6.04

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 SAR 8.13

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$7.16 SAR 26.89

-39.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

$0.98 SAR 3.69

129.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

$38.62 SAR 145

-39.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$2.51 SAR 9.42

23.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$1.91 SAR 7.18

-43.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$12.16 SAR 45.65

-68.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$0.64 SAR 2.40

123.44%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$51.2K SAR 192.2K

-45.71%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$19.5K SAR 73.3K

38.26%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$115 SAR 432

-8.93%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$30.25 SAR 114

-62.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$75.5 SAR 284

-76.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

$94.3 SAR 354

-42.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

$37.93 SAR 142

-69.84%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$11.89 SAR 44.67

-34.57%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$304 SAR 1,140

89.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$5,917 SAR 22.2K

95.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$51.2 SAR 192

24.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$57.9 SAR 217

-49.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$82.1 SAR 308

17.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$101 SAR 379

-10.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$608 SAR 2,283

20.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$314 SAR 1,181

59.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

$791 SAR 2,972

168.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$591 SAR 2,220

111.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

$2,125 SAR 7,979

66.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

$1,306 SAR 4,905

100.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

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: September 6, 2026

Last update for Arar: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $733 in Phuket versus $608 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $36.00 in Arar. Groceries tell a different story – $275 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, $1,168 in Arar – roughly 8% 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 $1,752 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 64% less in Arar. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $576 per month in Phuket and $304 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 $1,168, 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 $1,168 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.