Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Buraydah Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Buraydah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $1,224 in Buraydah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $1,996 in Buraydah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $2,768 in Buraydah, rent included.

Phuket costs about 2% more than Buraydah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Buraydah are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Buraydah 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$12.49 SAR 46.89

-63.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$39.47 SAR 148

17.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$7.46 SAR 28.02

18.50%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.55 SAR 5.83

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 SAR 5.68

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$3.67 SAR 13.78

-16.62%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.80 SAR 3.00

-8.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.26 SAR 0.96

53.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.65 SAR 6.21

36.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.05 SAR 3.93

72.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$2.58 SAR 9.70

-12.79%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$2.52 SAR 9.47

-10.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$8.45 SAR 31.74

130.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$6.68 SAR 25.08

-45.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$13.72 SAR 51.5

-4.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$2.47 SAR 9.28

30.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.86 SAR 6.99

-12.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$1.40 SAR 5.25

70.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$1.67 SAR 6.26

21.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.41 SAR 5.31

8.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.50 SAR 5.64

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$1.12 SAR 4.19

-12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.70 SAR 2.63

-25.71%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.90 SAR 7.15

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 SAR 5.43

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 SAR 9.78

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$6.22 SAR 23.36

-28.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$1.05 SAR 3.95

34.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$39.96 SAR 150

-70.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$2.58 SAR 9.70

20.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$1.86 SAR 6.97

-44.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$16.68 SAR 62.6

-15.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$0.60 SAR 2.25

118.33%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$26.3K SAR 98.7K

5.77%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$24.6K SAR 92.5K

34.89%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$75.8 SAR 285

61.49%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$29.83 SAR 112

-54.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$71.4 SAR 268

-73.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$102 SAR 382

-40.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$35.02 SAR 131

-51.51%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$15.81 SAR 59.4

-42.63%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$264 SAR 989

168.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$3,690 SAR 13.9K

328.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$50.7 SAR 191

15.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$73.5 SAR 276

-51.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$80.7 SAR 303

43.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$71.1 SAR 267

17.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$626 SAR 2,349

-0.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$338 SAR 1,267

31.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$767 SAR 2,879

166.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$810 SAR 3,042

84.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$2,385 SAR 8,956

46.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$1,332 SAR 5,003

93.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$2,488 SAR 9,344

-79.91%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Buraydah: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Phuket versus $626 in Buraydah. 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 398% higher in Buraydah, 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $39.00 in Buraydah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $205 – making Buraydah 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 Buraydah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 2% more than Buraydah, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,875 per month in Phuket and $1,836 in Buraydah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Buraydah, 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 $1,250 in Phuket and $1,224 in Buraydah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 242% less in Buraydah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Buraydah, where all-in costs run around $1,224, than in Phuket at $1,250. In Buraydah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Buraydah costs $1,224 versus $1,250 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Buraydah. 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.