Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Fujairah Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Fujairah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $1,472 in Fujairah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $4,030 in Fujairah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $6,588 in Fujairah, rent included.

Phuket is about 16% cheaper than Fujairah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 10% below the global median, while Fujairah is 8% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$7.45 AED 27.35

-40.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$41.61 AED 153

-22.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$7.83 AED 28.74

14.05%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$5.45 AED 20.03

-46.79%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$1.09 AED 3.99

-19.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.40 AED 1.47

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$9.07 AED 33.30

-74.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$9.58 AED 35.18

-61.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.64 AED 6.03

14.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$1.39 AED 5.10

5.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.90 AED 6.96

-18.42%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$2.40 AED 8.80

-12.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$12.79 AED 46.97

53.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$9.59 AED 35.23

-64.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$8.28 AED 30.41

37.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$1.73 AED 6.34

72.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.60 AED 5.88

5.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$1.55 AED 5.69

42.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$0.92 AED 3.39

134.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$0.85 AED 3.11

78.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$0.93 AED 3.40

44.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$0.86 AED 3.16

31.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.44 AED 1.61

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$5.49 AED 20.16

-22.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$13.58 AED 49.86

40.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$2.23 AED 8.18

-20.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$2.39 AED 8.78

16.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$3.29 AED 12.08

-32.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

$40.28 AED 148

-43.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$2.79 AED 10.26

8.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$0.53 AED 1.94

92.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$7.97 AED 29.29

-51.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$0.88 AED 3.23

69.32%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$25.9K AED 95.0K

2.71%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$20.2K AED 74.4K

33.50%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$121 AED 446

-15.58%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$44.71 AED 164

-74.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$78.6 AED 289

-77.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$47.12 AED 173

10.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$13.82 AED 50.8

-19.90%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$11.00 AED 40.38

-30.09%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$261 AED 958

114.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$4,449 AED 16.3K

158.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$21.47 AED 78.8

193.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$13.80 AED 50.7

113.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$73.8 AED 271

32.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$61.9 AED 227

42.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$586 AED 2,153

25.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$523 AED 1,921

-7.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$5,241 AED 19.2K

-59.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$4,635 AED 17.0K

-73.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$3,679 AED 13.5K

-86.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

2.5

122.80%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Fujairah: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Phuket versus $586 in Fujairah. 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 645% higher in Fujairah, 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 $42.00 in Fujairah. Groceries tell a different story – $274 in Phuket vs $244 in Fujairah – so Fujairah 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 Fujairah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,232 in Phuket, $1,472 in Fujairah – roughly 20% apart. Fujairah costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $2,208 in Fujairah. 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.

Kindergarten costs $561 per month in Phuket and $261 in Fujairah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 12% cheaper in Fujairah – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,232, than in Fujairah at $1,472. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fujairah 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 $1,232 in Phuket to $1,472 in Fujairah. 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 Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Fujairah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.