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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $1,463 in Fujairah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,286 per month in Phuket vs $2,413 in Fujairah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,310 per month in Phuket vs $3,363 in Fujairah, rent included.

Phuket is about 14% cheaper than Fujairah, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Fujairah is 9% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$6.92 AED 25.43

-34.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$41.04 AED 151

13.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$6.96 AED 25.58

21.70%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$5.81 AED 21.32

-47.85%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.79 AED 2.88

-12.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.52 AED 1.90

-28.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$10.86 AED 39.90

-77.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$10.14 AED 37.24

-63.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.57 AED 5.76

38.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$1.33 AED 4.87

42.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.71 AED 6.29

28.65%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$2.31 AED 8.49

-3.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$12.95 AED 47.58

54.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$7.75 AED 28.47

-52.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$15.24 AED 56.0

-13.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$2.28 AED 8.38

41.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.75 AED 6.42

-2.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.51 AED 5.54

58.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.26 AED 4.63

65.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.03 AED 3.77

54.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.04 AED 3.80

42.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$1.76 AED 6.46

-41.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.54 AED 1.97

-3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$6.32 AED 23.23

-32.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$13.83 AED 50.8

35.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$2.63 AED 9.65

-33.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$2.21 AED 8.12

24.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$1.60 AED 5.86

-15.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$53.3 AED 196

-78.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$1.47 AED 5.39

113.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$0.70 AED 2.59

48.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$8.26 AED 30.34

66.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$0.74 AED 2.72

81.08%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$45.9K AED 168.5K

-39.68%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$22.0K AED 81.0K

53.62%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$147 AED 539

-15.72%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$45.22 AED 166

-70.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$100 AED 368

-81.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$18.47 AED 67.9

234.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$39.53 AED 145

-56.36%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$8.62 AED 31.66

6.03%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$221 AED 813

217.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$5,275 AED 19.4K

200.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$117 AED 429

-49.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$55.4 AED 203

-36.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$134 AED 492

-13.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$138 AED 507

-39.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$543 AED 1,993

14.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$415 AED 1,524

4.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$1,523 AED 5,595

35.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$1,081 AED 3,972

39.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$3,671 AED 13.5K

-86.19%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Fujairah: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Phuket versus $543 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 624% 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 $47.00 in Phuket versus $41.00 in Fujairah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $266 – 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: $1,261 in Phuket, $1,463 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 $1,892 per month in Phuket and $2,195 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 $703 per month in Phuket and $221 in Fujairah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 10% 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 $1,261, than in Fujairah at $1,463. 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 $1,261 in Phuket to $1,463 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.