Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Hawalli Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Hawalli

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $1,101 in Hawalli, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $2,962 in Hawalli, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $4,824 in Hawalli, rent included.

Phuket costs about 15% more than Hawalli, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Hawalli are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Hawalli 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$4.84 KWD 1.49

-2.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,483

$68.0 KWD 20.99

-33.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$8.77 KWD 2.71

-3.88%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 KWD 0.77

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 KWD 1.01

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.7

$4.54 KWD 1.40

-35.46%

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

$0.69 ฿22.42

$0.52 KWD 0.16

32.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.00

$0.34 KWD 0.11

8.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.0

$1.60 KWD 0.50

39.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.9

$1.29 KWD 0.40

41.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.9

$1.80 KWD 0.56

20.56%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.4

$2.03 KWD 0.63

8.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$3.37 KWD 1.04

485.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$3.32 KWD 1.02

9.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$5.64 KWD 1.74

139.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.37 KWD 0.73

38.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$1.96 KWD 0.61

-17.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$1.80 KWD 0.56

33.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.44 KWD 0.45

44.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.97

$1.21 KWD 0.37

26.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.41

$1.31 KWD 0.41

12.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.32

$1.63 KWD 0.50

-39.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.68

$0.32 KWD 0.10

59.38%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.17 KWD 0.98

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 KWD 0.41

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$2.98 KWD 0.92

47.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿634

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.83

$0.79 KWD 0.25

73.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$48.30 KWD 14.91

-76.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.7

$3.21 KWD 0.99

-5.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.51

$3.28 KWD 1.01

-69.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$16.02 KWD 4.95

-11.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.55

$0.37 KWD 0.11

267.57%

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

$28.2K ฿921.9K

$21.5K KWD 6,630

31.35%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$19.9K KWD 6,141

65.44%

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

$122 ฿3,978

$61.8 KWD 19.09

96.83%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$18.89 KWD 5.83

-28.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿599

$25.93 KWD 8.01

-29.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,969

$49.89 KWD 15.41

20.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$46.54 KWD 14.37

-63.17%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$9.79 KWD 3.02

-11.24%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$405 KWD 125

71.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.8K

$6,666 KWD 2,059

135.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,946

$32.17 KWD 9.93

85.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,137

$42.57 KWD 13.15

-18.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,746

$89.3 KWD 27.58

28.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,723

$81.3 KWD 25.09

2.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$594 KWD 183

3.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$492 KWD 152

-11.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.5K

$976 KWD 301

114.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$3,313 KWD 1,023

-54.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$1,854 KWD 573

-72.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

7.14

-25.35%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Hawalli: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $594 in Hawalli. 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 265% higher in Hawalli, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket versus $68.0 in Hawalli. Groceries tell a different story – $293 in Phuket vs $143 in Hawalli – so Hawalli 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 Hawalli: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,265 in Phuket, $1,101 in Hawalli – roughly 15% 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 $1,651 in Hawalli. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Hawalli, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 106% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket and $68.0 in Hawalli. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Hawalli, where all-in costs run around $1,101, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Hawalli 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 $1,101 in Hawalli 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 Hawalli. 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.