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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $1,235 in Buraydah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,089 per month in Phuket vs $2,064 in Buraydah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Phuket vs $2,893 in Buraydah, rent included.

Phuket costs about 2% more than Buraydah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Phuket and Buraydah are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Buraydah 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$13.38 SAR 50.3

-65.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$40.45 SAR 152

-20.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$8.22 SAR 30.87

5.60%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 SAR 7.13

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 SAR 5.10

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$3.58 SAR 13.45

-18.99%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$0.76 SAR 2.85

10.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.26 SAR 0.96

88.46%

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

$1.64 SAR 6.17

15.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$1.15 SAR 4.30

22.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$2.47 SAR 9.27

-34.41%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$2.91 SAR 10.92

-23.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$8.54 SAR 32.07

132.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$6.61 SAR 24.83

-47.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$13.49 SAR 50.7

-15.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$2.31 SAR 8.69

25.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$1.84 SAR 6.89

-6.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$1.73 SAR 6.48

31.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$1.65 SAR 6.20

29.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$1.40 SAR 5.27

5.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$1.37 SAR 5.14

3.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$1.09 SAR 4.10

0.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$0.61 SAR 2.29

-1.64%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.88 SAR 7.06

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 SAR 5.76

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 SAR 9.72

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$6.52 SAR 24.49

-33.90%

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

$1.05 SAR 3.95

114.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

$35.26 SAR 132

-33.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$2.71 SAR 10.17

14.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$2.69 SAR 10.10

-59.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$16.88 SAR 63.4

-77.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$0.59 SAR 2.22

142.37%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$41.4K SAR 155.6K

-32.95%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$23.2K SAR 87.2K

16.26%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$71.7 SAR 269

46.23%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$32.13 SAR 121

-64.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$71.0 SAR 266

-75.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

$133 SAR 500

-59.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

$36.59 SAR 137

-68.73%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$15.33 SAR 57.6

-49.25%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$266 SAR 999

116.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$3,788 SAR 14.2K

205.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$51.5 SAR 193

23.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$58.1 SAR 218

-49.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$79.7 SAR 299

20.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$70.1 SAR 263

28.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$694 SAR 2,607

5.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$331 SAR 1,244

51.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

$886 SAR 3,328

139.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$820 SAR 3,081

52.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

$2,400 SAR 9,012

47.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

$1,394 SAR 5,236

88.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

$2,506 SAR 9,410

-79.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

3.98

39.95%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Buraydah: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $733 in Phuket versus $694 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 394% 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $40.00 in Buraydah. Groceries tell a different story – $275 in Phuket vs $205 in Buraydah – so Buraydah 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 Buraydah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $1,852 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 $1,265 in Phuket and $1,235 in Buraydah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 50% 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 $1,235, than in Phuket at $1,265. 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 $1,235 versus $1,265 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.