Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and El Mahalla El Kubra Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and El Mahalla El Kubra

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $438 in El Mahalla El Kubra, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $689 in El Mahalla El Kubra, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $939 in El Mahalla El Kubra, rent included.

Phuket costs about 189% more than El Mahalla El Kubra, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and El Mahalla El Kubra are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, El Mahalla El Kubra 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$3.55 E£184

32.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,483

$13.58 E£705

234.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$3.98 E£207

111.81%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.7

$0.96 E£49.99

205.21%

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

$0.69 ฿22.42

$0.31 E£16.31

122.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.00

$0.13 E£6.50

184.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$1.16 E£60.2

107.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$3.02 E£157

23.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.0

$0.79 E£41.06

182.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.9

$0.29 E£15.03

531.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.9

$0.58 E£30.30

274.14%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.4

$1.45 E£75.2

52.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$2.50 E£130

689.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$4.34 E£225

-16.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$7.32 E£380

84.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$1.29 E£67.1

154.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$0.58 E£29.98

177.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$0.42 E£21.84

473.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$0.27 E£14.04

670.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.97

$0.35 E£18.34

337.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.41

$0.40 E£20.82

270.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.32

$0.22 E£11.38

350.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.68

$0.20 E£10.55

155.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$1.90 E£98.7

132.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿634

$5.70 E£296

240.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.41 E£73.2

26.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.7

$2.57 E£133

5.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.83

$0.19 E£9.74

621.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.7

$0.41 E£21.50

636.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.51

$0.11 E£5.86

800.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$0.95 E£49.37

1384.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.55

$0.32 E£16.72

325.00%

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

$28.2K ฿921.9K

$36.1K E£1.9M

-21.97%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$32.5K E£1.7M

1.16%

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

$122 ฿3,978

$11.10 E£576

996.40%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$5.58 E£290

143.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿599

$9.92 E£515

84.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,969

$22.42 E£1,164

168.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$2.90 E£151

199.66%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$33.25 E£1,726

1985.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.8K

$1,840 E£95.5K

752.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,946

$18.08 E£938

229.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,137

$43.33 E£2,249

-19.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,746

$108 E£5,594

6.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,723

$49.98 E£2,594

66.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$193 E£10.0K

217.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$101 E£5,224

334.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.5K

$306 E£15.9K

584.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$180 E£9,349

737.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

$785 E£40.7K

377.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

$397 E£20.6K

558.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-68.65%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for El Mahalla El Kubra: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $193 in El Mahalla El Kubra. 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 $45.00 in Phuket versus $14.00 in El Mahalla El Kubra. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $112 – making El Mahalla El Kubra 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 El Mahalla El Kubra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,265 in Phuket, $438 in El Mahalla El Kubra – roughly 189% 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 $658 in El Mahalla El Kubra. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in El Mahalla El Kubra, 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 $438 in El Mahalla El Kubra. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $693 per month in Phuket and $33.25 in El Mahalla El Kubra. 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 El Mahalla El Kubra, where all-in costs run around $438, than in Phuket at $1,265. In El Mahalla El Kubra 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 $438 in El Mahalla El Kubra 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 El Mahalla El Kubra. 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.