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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,264 per month in Phuket vs $1,461 in Fujairah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,256 per month in Phuket vs $2,385 in Fujairah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Phuket vs $3,310 in Fujairah, rent included.

Phuket is about 13% cheaper than Fujairah, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Phuket sits 5% below the global median, while Fujairah is 10% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$6.87 AED 25.22

-34.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$40.24 AED 148

13.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$6.64 AED 24.40

31.93%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$5.58 AED 20.49

-46.77%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.73 AED 2.67

-5.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.52 AED 1.92

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$10.74 AED 39.46

-76.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$10.07 AED 37.00

-62.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.65 AED 6.07

30.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$1.33 AED 4.88

36.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.80 AED 6.60

21.11%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$2.29 AED 8.40

-1.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$12.87 AED 47.27

55.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$7.61 AED 27.95

-52.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$15.61 AED 57.3

-13.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$2.23 AED 8.19

45.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.74 AED 6.41

-5.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.57 AED 5.75

48.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.32 AED 4.85

56.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$0.98 AED 3.59

58.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.00 AED 3.68

46.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$1.74 AED 6.40

-43.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.54 AED 1.97

-11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$6.28 AED 23.05

-30.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$13.53 AED 49.69

37.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$2.65 AED 9.74

-29.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$2.12 AED 7.80

25.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$1.66 AED 6.11

-14.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$52.7 AED 194

-78.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$1.54 AED 5.66

105.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$0.65 AED 2.38

58.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$8.02 AED 29.46

73.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$0.78 AED 2.86

71.79%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$45.2K AED 165.9K

-38.47%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$22.3K AED 82.0K

49.54%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$146 AED 537

-15.82%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$44.24 AED 162

-68.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$102 AED 373

-81.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$17.94 AED 65.9

238.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$39.95 AED 147

-57.05%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$8.84 AED 32.45

0.34%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$219 AED 803

214.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$5,253 AED 19.3K

200.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$114 AED 419

-48.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$54.4 AED 200

-36.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$139 AED 510

-17.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$138 AED 507

-39.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$535 AED 1,966

16.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$413 AED 1,516

8.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$1,487 AED 5,461

36.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$1,075 AED 3,949

39.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$3,765 AED 13.8K

-86.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

4.88

9.22%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Fujairah: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $621 in Phuket versus $535 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 663% 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $40.00 in Fujairah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $267 – making Fujairah 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 Fujairah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,264 in Phuket, $1,461 in Fujairah – roughly 16% apart. Fujairah costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,896 per month in Phuket and $2,191 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 $688 per month in Phuket and $219 in Fujairah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% 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 $1,264, than in Fujairah at $1,461. 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 $1,264 in Phuket to $1,461 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.