Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mahboula Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mahboula

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,249 in Mahboula.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $2,042 in Mahboula.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $2,836 in Mahboula.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 1% less than in Mahboula, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Mahboula 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$6.70 KWD 2.06

-30.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$26.42 KWD 8.11

77.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$9.02 KWD 2.77

-2.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.65 KWD 0.51

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 KWD 0.98

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$5.95 KWD 1.83

-49.58%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.50 KWD 0.15

48.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.17 KWD 0.05

117.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.55 KWD 0.47

45.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$0.99 KWD 0.31

85.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.71 KWD 0.53

30.99%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$1.34 KWD 0.41

73.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$5.18 KWD 1.59

279.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$6.65 KWD 2.04

-45.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$10.20 KWD 3.13

28.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$2.34 KWD 0.72

44.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.98 KWD 0.61

-17.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.72 KWD 0.53

40.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$1.12 KWD 0.34

81.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$1.23 KWD 0.38

26.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$1.17 KWD 0.36

28.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$1.66 KWD 0.51

-38.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.45 KWD 0.14

8.89%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.16 KWD 0.97

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 KWD 0.42

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$1.67 KWD 0.51

166.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$0.78 KWD 0.24

79.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

$49.41 KWD 15.17

-76.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$1.60 KWD 0.49

95.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$1.65 KWD 0.51

-39.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$5.70 KWD 1.75

147.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$0.20 KWD 0.06

575.00%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$19.7K KWD 6,042

38.13%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$17.8K KWD 5,451

85.42%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$63.1 KWD 19.36

98.16%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$16.17 KWD 4.96

-16.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$25.68 KWD 7.88

-27.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$94.9 KWD 29.14

-35.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

$46.91 KWD 14.40

-64.10%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$11.43 KWD 3.51

-19.60%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$389 KWD 119

79.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$6,527 KWD 2,004

138.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$42.99 KWD 13.20

34.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$42.85 KWD 13.15

-17.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$89.2 KWD 27.38

26.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$81.2 KWD 24.93

6.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$724 KWD 222

-14.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$515 KWD 158

-13.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$1,764 KWD 542

16.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$1,147 KWD 352

30.11%

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

$1,318 KWD 405

-60.26%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Mahboula: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $724 in Mahboula. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mahboula pays 152% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $26.00 in Mahboula for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $171 per month, with Mahboula 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 Mahboula: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Mahboula earns 152% less. 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: $616 in Phuket versus $724 in Mahboula. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $26.00 in Mahboula. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $1,249 in Mahboula – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,249 in Mahboula, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Mahboula. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mahboula, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Mahboula 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 1% less than in Mahboula. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.