Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Jubail

For one person, living is cheaper in Jubail: $1,093 a month against $1,190 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $1,200 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Phuket outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

59

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index
53

Cost of Living Index in Jubail
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Jubail Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,190

/mo nomad

Jubail

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

$1,093

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Jubail

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Jubail actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,190 in Phuket versus $1,093 in Jubail.

Phuket $1,190
Jubail $1,093

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,006 in Phuket versus $1,699 in Jubail.

Phuket $2,006
Jubail $1,699

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,822 in Phuket versus $2,305 in Jubail.

Phuket $2,822
Jubail $2,305

Living in Phuket is roughly 9% more expensive than in Jubail, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 11% lower, Jubail 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.35 ฿146

$6.72 SAR 25.22

-35.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.45 ฿1,087

$40.26 SAR 151

-19.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.42 ฿282

$9.30 SAR 34.93

-9.46%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 SAR 6.82

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 SAR 8.78

Cappuccino

$2.81 ฿94.0

$4.03 SAR 15.14

-30.27%

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

$0.87 ฿29.29

$0.98 SAR 3.69

-11.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ฿15.39

$0.26 SAR 0.97

76.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 ฿86.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿57.2

$1.52 SAR 5.70

12.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 ฿48.42

$1.40 SAR 5.25

3.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.3

$1.59 SAR 5.98

-1.89%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.3

$2.06 SAR 7.75

1.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.53 ฿654

$9.90 SAR 37.17

97.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 ฿114

$6.45 SAR 24.22

-47.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.14 ฿373

$11.74 SAR 44.07

-5.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 ฿94.8

$2.16 SAR 8.12

31.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.3

$1.74 SAR 6.55

-6.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 ฿74.5

$1.50 SAR 5.62

48.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 ฿71.9

$1.67 SAR 6.26

28.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 ฿49.95

$1.29 SAR 4.86

15.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 ฿44.40

$1.33 SAR 5.00

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.72

$1.70 SAR 6.37

-37.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.01

$0.55 SAR 2.06

-7.27%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.86 SAR 10.72

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 SAR 8.16

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 SAR 7.91

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 ฿147

$6.51 SAR 24.45

-32.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.77 ฿629

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ฿58.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.17 ฿72.6

$1.30 SAR 4.88

66.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.28 ฿746

$23.68 SAR 88.9

-5.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿101

$3.35 SAR 12.58

-9.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 ฿35.43

$2.63 SAR 9.86

-59.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.71 ฿124

$13.42 SAR 50.4

-72.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.88

$0.64 SAR 2.39

123.44%

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

$26.3K ฿882.1K

$44.8K SAR 168.2K

-41.19%

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

$26.2K ฿877.3K

$21.3K SAR 79.9K

23.11%

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

$96.7 ฿3,236

$80.7 SAR 303

19.73%

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

$11.41 ฿382

$27.59 SAR 104

-58.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.11 ฿573

$66.5 SAR 250

-74.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 ฿1,768

$103 SAR 386

-48.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿371

$40.07 SAR 150

-72.37%

Cinema Ticket

$7.65 ฿256

$13.42 SAR 50.4

-43.00%

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

$555 ฿18.6K

$181 SAR 681

205.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿377.7K

$7,911 SAR 29.7K

42.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.4 ฿2,123

$41.97 SAR 158

51.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.61 ฿958

$60.3 SAR 226

-52.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.7 ฿3,238

$82.3 SAR 309

17.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.6 ฿2,967

$87.5 SAR 329

1.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$735 ฿24.6K

$430 SAR 1,614

70.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$458 ฿15.3K

$298 SAR 1,119

53.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,102 ฿70.4K

$648 SAR 2,433

224.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,187 ฿39.7K

$538 SAR 2,021

120.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,493 ฿116.9K

$2,805 SAR 10.5K

24.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,491 ฿83.4K

$1,366 SAR 5,131

82.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$501 ฿16.8K

$1,622 SAR 6,090

-69.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.62

-0.89%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 4, 2026

Last update for Jubail: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$458 38.1%

Jubail

$298 27.1% 34.9% $160

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$268 22.3%

Jubail

$196 17.8% 26.7% $72

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$125 10.4%

Jubail

$175 15.9% 39.6% $50

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$125 10.4%

Jubail

$122 11.1% 1.9% $2.3

Eating Out

Phuket

$119 9.9%

Jubail

$135 12.3% 13.2% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$68 5.7%

Jubail

$130 11.8% 90.3% $62

Getting Around

Phuket

$39 3.3%

Jubail

$45 4.1% 15.6% $6.1

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $735 in Phuket and $430 in Jubail. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jubail pays 224% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $40.00 in Jubail. Groceries flip the comparison at $268 vs $196, with Jubail cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇸🇦 Jubail

🕒 Local time

18:58 6:58 PM

14:58 2:58 PM

4 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

337,778

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.67 EUR

1 SAR = 0.266 USD

1 SAR = 0.238 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SAR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 33.48 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.52 THB (100 THB = 2.67 EUR).

Saudi Riyal exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3.75 SAR (1 SAR = 0.266 USD). 1 EUR = 4.21 SAR (1 SAR = 0.238 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Phuket Jubail 5,550 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Jubail

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 9% 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 224% 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: $735 in Phuket versus $430 in Jubail. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,190 per month in Phuket versus $1,093 in Jubail – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Jubail runs roughly 6% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,093 in Jubail versus $1,190 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 $1,093 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 9% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.