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 $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $1,173 in Madinat Hamad, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Phuket vs $1,899 in Madinat Hamad, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,279 per month in Phuket vs $2,625 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 8% lower, Madinat Hamad 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$2.71 BHD 1.02

70.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$52.8 BHD 19.87

-11.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$7.33 BHD 2.75

20.60%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$2.62 BHD 0.98

14.50%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.81 BHD 0.30

-8.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.37 BHD 0.14

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$7.82 BHD 2.94

-68.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$10.70 BHD 4.02

-66.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.55 BHD 0.58

45.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$1.08 BHD 0.40

70.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$2.39 BHD 0.90

-6.28%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$1.98 BHD 0.74

17.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$8.46 BHD 3.18

132.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$7.53 BHD 2.83

-51.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$10.29 BHD 3.87

27.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$2.16 BHD 0.81

56.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.62 BHD 0.61

1.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.75 BHD 0.66

37.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$1.21 BHD 0.45

67.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$0.93 BHD 0.35

67.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$1.03 BHD 0.39

45.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$1.52 BHD 0.57

-32.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.55 BHD 0.21

-10.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$6.77 BHD 2.54

-34.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$18.42 BHD 6.93

2.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$3.32 BHD 1.25

-46.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$3.32 BHD 1.25

-17.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$0.63 BHD 0.24

122.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

$34.92 BHD 13.13

-67.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$4.55 BHD 1.71

-31.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$3.39 BHD 1.28

-70.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$26.32 BHD 9.89

-46.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$0.36 BHD 0.13

275.00%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$37.3K BHD 14.0K

-27.09%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$20.7K BHD 7,782

59.08%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$120 BHD 44.97

4.51%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$23.99 BHD 9.02

-43.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$18.72 BHD 7.04

-1.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$118 BHD 44.45

-48.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

$52.0 BHD 19.54

-67.60%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$5.37 BHD 2.02

71.14%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$387 BHD 145

80.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$8,985 BHD 3,378

73.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$46.29 BHD 17.41

24.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$62.6 BHD 23.54

-43.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$81.9 BHD 30.79

38.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$88.4 BHD 33.25

-2.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$402 BHD 151

53.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$320 BHD 120

39.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$809 BHD 304

152.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$652 BHD 245

128.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$661 BHD 249

-20.81%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Madinat Hamad: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $616 in Phuket versus $402 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 26% 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 $47.00 in Phuket versus $53.0 in Madinat Hamad. Groceries tell a different story – $292 in Phuket vs $249 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: $1,232 in Phuket, $1,173 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 $1,847 per month in Phuket and $1,760 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 204% less in Madinat Hamad. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $698 per month in Phuket and $387 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 $1,173, than in Phuket at $1,232. 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 $1,173 in Madinat Hamad to $1,232 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.