Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Doha Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Doha

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $2,143 in Doha, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $3,349 in Doha, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $4,555 in Doha, rent included.

Phuket is about 43% cheaper than Doha, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Phuket sits 10% below the global median, while Doha is 57% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$10.79 QAR 39.29

-59.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$71.2 QAR 259

-54.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$8.39 QAR 30.55

6.44%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.36 QAR 44.99

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.32 QAR 48.49

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$5.88 QAR 21.41

-50.68%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$0.93 QAR 3.40

-5.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.44 QAR 1.60

9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$2.07 QAR 7.54

-9.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$1.41 QAR 5.13

4.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.98 QAR 7.20

-21.72%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$3.46 QAR 12.60

-39.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$11.16 QAR 40.63

75.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$8.23 QAR 29.96

-58.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$11.04 QAR 40.20

3.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$2.15 QAR 7.81

38.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.84 QAR 6.71

-8.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$1.53 QAR 5.56

44.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$1.23 QAR 4.48

75.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$0.93 QAR 3.39

63.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$1.02 QAR 3.71

31.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$1.42 QAR 5.18

-20.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.52 QAR 1.89

5.77%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$9.61 QAR 34.97

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 QAR 6.72

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 QAR 8.46

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$6.32 QAR 22.99

-32.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$0.56 QAR 2.05

298.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

$27.68 QAR 101

-17.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$1.97 QAR 7.16

53.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$2.04 QAR 7.42

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$13.92 QAR 50.7

-72.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$0.59 QAR 2.14

152.54%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$27.6K QAR 100.4K

-3.62%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$21.9K QAR 79.9K

23.20%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$87.1 QAR 317

17.67%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$35.75 QAR 130

-68.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$85.9 QAR 313

-79.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$130 QAR 473

-59.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$18.06 QAR 65.7

-38.70%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$12.31 QAR 44.81

-37.53%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$696 QAR 2,532

-19.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$9,952 QAR 36.2K

15.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$60.9 QAR 222

3.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$51.0 QAR 185

-42.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$105 QAR 384

-6.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$86.3 QAR 314

2.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$1,975 QAR 7,189

-62.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$1,204 QAR 4,381

-59.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$3,467 QAR 12.6K

-39.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$2,275 QAR 8,280

-46.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$4,080 QAR 14.9K

-11.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$2,451 QAR 8,923

6.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$3,273 QAR 11.9K

-84.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.88

-5.27%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Doha: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Phuket versus $1,975 in Doha. 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 563% higher in Doha, 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $71.0 in Doha. Groceries tell a different story – $274 in Phuket vs $215 in Doha – so Doha 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 Doha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Doha is pricier by about 74%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $3,214 in Doha. 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.

Public transport costs about 22% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $561 per month in Phuket and $696 in Doha. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,232, than in Doha at $2,143. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Doha 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, Doha makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.