Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Madinat Hamad Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Madinat Hamad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,264 per month in Phuket vs $1,206 in Madinat Hamad, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,256 per month in Phuket vs $1,905 in Madinat Hamad, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Phuket vs $2,603 in Madinat Hamad, rent included.

Phuket costs about 5% more than Madinat Hamad, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Phuket and Madinat Hamad are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 5% lower, Madinat Hamad 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$2.57 BHD 0.97

74.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$53.5 BHD 20.18

-14.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$7.50 BHD 2.83

16.80%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$2.68 BHD 1.01

10.82%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.85 BHD 0.32

-18.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.39 BHD 0.15

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$7.90 BHD 2.98

-67.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$10.57 BHD 3.98

-64.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.62 BHD 0.61

32.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$1.04 BHD 0.39

75.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$2.41 BHD 0.91

-9.54%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$2.04 BHD 0.77

10.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$8.59 BHD 3.24

132.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$7.85 BHD 2.96

-53.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$10.36 BHD 3.90

30.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$2.14 BHD 0.81

51.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.55 BHD 0.58

5.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.73 BHD 0.65

34.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.21 BHD 0.46

71.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$0.93 BHD 0.35

66.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.04 BHD 0.39

40.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$1.50 BHD 0.57

-34.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.52 BHD 0.20

-7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$6.50 BHD 2.45

-33.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$18.49 BHD 6.97

0.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$3.46 BHD 1.30

-46.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$3.27 BHD 1.23

-18.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.68 BHD 0.26

108.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$34.98 BHD 13.18

-66.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$4.74 BHD 1.78

-33.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$3.34 BHD 1.26

-69.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$26.68 BHD 10.06

-47.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$0.35 BHD 0.13

282.86%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$37.1K BHD 14.0K

-25.09%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$21.1K BHD 7,969

57.88%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$123 BHD 46.52

-0.30%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$23.61 BHD 8.90

-41.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$18.26 BHD 6.88

0.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$118 BHD 44.42

-48.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$53.3 BHD 20.10

-67.82%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$5.33 BHD 2.01

66.42%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$382 BHD 144

80.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$8,807 BHD 3,319

79.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$45.43 BHD 17.12

30.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$63.1 BHD 23.80

-45.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$84.4 BHD 31.80

36.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$90.2 BHD 33.99

-7.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$391 BHD 147

58.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$312 BHD 118

42.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$796 BHD 300

155.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$670 BHD 253

123.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$655 BHD 247

-24.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

8.56

-37.73%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Madinat Hamad: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $621 in Phuket versus $391 in Madinat Hamad. 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 33% higher in Madinat Hamad, 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $54.0 in Madinat Hamad. Groceries tell a different story – $291 in Phuket vs $251 in Madinat Hamad – so Madinat Hamad 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 Madinat Hamad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,264 in Phuket, $1,206 in Madinat Hamad – roughly 5% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,896 per month in Phuket and $1,809 in Madinat Hamad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 202% less in Madinat Hamad. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $688 per month in Phuket and $382 in Madinat Hamad. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Madinat Hamad, where all-in costs run around $1,206, than in Phuket at $1,264. In Madinat Hamad 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 $1,206 in Madinat Hamad to $1,264 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 Madinat Hamad. 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.