Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Janub-as-surrah Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Janub-as-surrah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,340 in Janub-as-surrah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $2,242 in Janub-as-surrah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $3,144 in Janub-as-surrah.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 6% less than in Janub-as-surrah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Janub-as-surrah is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$7.91 KWD 2.43

-42.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$58.3 KWD 17.90

-19.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$8.56 KWD 2.63

-1.05%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 KWD 0.76

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 KWD 1.04

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$5.42 KWD 1.67

-44.10%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.59 KWD 0.18

16.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.34 KWD 0.10

8.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.44 KWD 0.44

51.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$1.05 KWD 0.32

80.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.73 KWD 0.53

27.17%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$2.04 KWD 0.63

8.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$4.58 KWD 1.41

336.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$6.60 KWD 2.03

-44.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$9.83 KWD 3.02

34.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$2.34 KWD 0.72

38.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.60 KWD 0.49

6.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.53 KWD 0.47

56.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.38 KWD 0.42

50.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.29 KWD 0.40

23.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.10 KWD 0.34

34.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$1.64 KWD 0.50

-37.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.46 KWD 0.14

13.04%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 KWD 0.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$2.98 KWD 0.92

42.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.88 KWD 0.27

54.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$44.03 KWD 13.53

-74.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$3.29 KWD 1.01

-4.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$3.26 KWD 1.00

-68.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$16.02 KWD 4.92

-14.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$0.37 KWD 0.11

262.16%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$20.4K KWD 6,253

35.98%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$19.3K KWD 5,938

75.20%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$61.8 KWD 18.98

100.02%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$18.14 KWD 5.57

-25.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$26.02 KWD 7.99

-28.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$94.9 KWD 29.17

-34.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$46.92 KWD 14.41

-63.24%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$11.59 KWD 3.56

-21.14%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$285 KWD 87.4

146.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$6,089 KWD 1,871

160.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$42.26 KWD 12.98

40.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$42.27 KWD 12.98

-17.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$87.2 KWD 26.79

32.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$81.6 KWD 25.07

3.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$805 KWD 247

-23.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$604 KWD 185

-28.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$1,555 KWD 478

32.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$1,274 KWD 391

18.63%

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

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 7, 2026

Last update for Janub-as-surrah: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $805 in Janub-as-surrah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $58.0 in Janub-as-surrah. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $169, with Janub-as-surrah cheaper for home cooking.

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 Janub-as-surrah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in Janub-as-surrah. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,892 in Phuket and $2,009 in Janub-as-surrah to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $805 in Janub-as-surrah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,261 per month in Phuket versus $1,340 in Janub-as-surrah – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 288% less than in Janub-as-surrah. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,340 in Janub-as-surrah, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Janub-as-surrah. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,261 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Janub-as-surrah are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Janub-as-surrah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.