Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Jubail Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Jubail

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,054 in Jubail.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,650 in Jubail.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $2,247 in Jubail.

Living in Phuket is roughly 20% more expensive than in Jubail, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Jubail 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$6.74 SAR 25.30

-33.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$39.37 SAR 148

15.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$9.41 SAR 35.35

-6.91%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 SAR 7.20

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 SAR 10.94

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$3.34 SAR 12.55

-11.08%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.76 SAR 2.86

-9.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.28 SAR 1.05

39.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.82 SAR 6.84

18.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$0.99 SAR 3.70

83.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.68 SAR 6.30

29.76%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$2.51 SAR 9.44

-10.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$8.19 SAR 30.74

144.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$6.86 SAR 25.76

-47.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$11.08 SAR 41.61

22.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$2.31 SAR 8.68

40.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.66 SAR 6.23

-1.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.58 SAR 5.92

47.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.41 SAR 5.29

46.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.12 SAR 4.19

38.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.37 SAR 5.13

6.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$1.41 SAR 5.29

-30.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.60 SAR 2.24

-20.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.98 SAR 11.18

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 SAR 7.54

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 SAR 8.76

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$7.26 SAR 27.27

-40.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.91 SAR 3.42

56.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$25.68 SAR 96.4

-54.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$4.05 SAR 15.20

-21.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$1.82 SAR 6.84

-43.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$16.99 SAR 63.8

-18.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$0.64 SAR 2.41

109.38%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$19.7K SAR 73.9K

41.21%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$24.3K SAR 91.1K

37.61%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$102 SAR 381

21.21%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$31.84 SAR 120

-56.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$64.4 SAR 242

-71.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$89.4 SAR 336

-32.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$35.40 SAR 133

-51.53%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$14.00 SAR 52.6

-36.64%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$202 SAR 757

241.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$8,592 SAR 32.3K

83.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$37.51 SAR 141

58.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$61.2 SAR 230

-43.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$84.6 SAR 318

36.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$80.4 SAR 302

4.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$403 SAR 1,514

54.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$273 SAR 1,025

63.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$636 SAR 2,390

219.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$497 SAR 1,868

200.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$2,545 SAR 9,556

35.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$1,317 SAR 4,945

92.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$1,627 SAR 6,109

-69.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Jubail: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $403 in Jubail. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jubail pays 230% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $39.00 in Jubail for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $191 per month, with Jubail cheaper across the board.

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 Jubail: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jubail wins on cost – living expenses run 20% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Jubail the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 230% lower in Jubail. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $621 in Phuket versus $403 in Jubail. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,264 per month in Phuket versus $1,054 in Jubail – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Jubail runs roughly 122% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,054 in Jubail versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Jubail but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Jubail the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Jubail delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,054 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Jubail hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Jubail 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 Jubail gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.