Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and As-salimiyah Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and As-salimiyah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $1,439 in As-salimiyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $2,262 in As-salimiyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $3,086 in As-salimiyah, rent included.

Phuket is about 12% cheaper than As-salimiyah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while As-salimiyah is 7% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$9.77 KWD 3.00

-51.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$43.64 KWD 13.38

3.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$8.10 KWD 2.48

4.07%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 KWD 0.74

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 KWD 1.12

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$6.00 KWD 1.84

-51.17%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.63 KWD 0.19

9.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.35 KWD 0.11

5.71%

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

$1.49 KWD 0.46

49.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$0.88 KWD 0.27

107.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.66 KWD 0.51

30.72%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$2.11 KWD 0.65

4.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$4.76 KWD 1.46

314.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$6.41 KWD 1.97

-43.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$10.34 KWD 3.17

30.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$1.99 KWD 0.61

64.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.63 KWD 0.50

-1.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.53 KWD 0.47

57.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.37 KWD 0.42

51.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$1.22 KWD 0.37

25.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$0.87 KWD 0.27

70.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$1.52 KWD 0.47

-34.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.49 KWD 0.15

4.08%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.19 KWD 0.98

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 KWD 0.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$2.86 KWD 0.88

54.20%

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

$1.13 KWD 0.35

21.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$48.59 KWD 14.90

-76.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$3.24 KWD 0.99

-6.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$3.30 KWD 1.01

-70.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$16.06 KWD 4.93

-12.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$0.34 KWD 0.10

300.00%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$21.5K KWD 6,609

30.88%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$19.9K KWD 6,103

65.34%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$38.97 KWD 11.95

212.29%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$18.55 KWD 5.69

-26.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$25.79 KWD 7.91

-29.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$95.6 KWD 29.32

-37.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$64.2 KWD 19.68

-73.29%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$8.74 KWD 2.68

-0.57%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$278 KWD 85.4

149.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$6,686 KWD 2,051

134.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$41.71 KWD 12.79

42.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$41.92 KWD 12.86

-17.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$88.4 KWD 27.12

29.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$67.3 KWD 20.65

23.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$941 KWD 289

-34.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$731 KWD 224

-40.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$1,844 KWD 566

13.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$1,375 KWD 422

9.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$2,830 KWD 868

-82.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

7.14

-25.35%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for As-salimiyah: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $941 in As-salimiyah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 457% higher in As-salimiyah, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket versus $44.00 in As-salimiyah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $166 – making As-salimiyah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 As-salimiyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – As-salimiyah is pricier by about 14%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $2,159 in As-salimiyah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,265 in Phuket and $1,439 in As-salimiyah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 327% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in As-salimiyah at $1,439. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in As-salimiyah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, As-salimiyah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.