Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mahboula

For one person, living is cheaper in Mahboula: $1,239 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $470 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index
59

Cost of Living Index in Mahboula
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Mahboula Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

Mahboula

🇰🇼 Kuwait

$1,239

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Mahboula

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 Mahboula actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,278 in Phuket versus $1,239 in Mahboula.

Phuket $1,278
Mahboula $1,239

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,216 in Phuket versus $2,004 in Mahboula.

Phuket $2,216
Mahboula $2,004

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,154 in Phuket versus $2,769 in Mahboula.

Phuket $3,154
Mahboula $2,769

Living in Phuket is roughly 3% more expensive than in Mahboula, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Mahboula 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.47 ฿151

$6.57 KWD 2.04

-31.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.41 ฿1,092

$25.24 KWD 7.84

28.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.81 ฿297

$8.92 KWD 2.77

-1.23%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.66 KWD 0.51

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 KWD 1.01

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿95.3

$5.15 KWD 1.60

-45.05%

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

$0.87 ฿29.37

$0.49 KWD 0.15

77.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.64

$0.14 KWD 0.04

250.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 ฿86.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿55.9

$1.63 KWD 0.51

1.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿49.25

$0.99 KWD 0.31

47.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.4

$1.87 KWD 0.58

-19.79%

Eggs

$2.09 ฿70.4

$1.30 KWD 0.40

60.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.07 ฿642

$4.48 KWD 1.39

325.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿111

$6.58 KWD 2.04

-49.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.91 ฿368

$10.41 KWD 3.24

4.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 ฿98.7

$2.50 KWD 0.78

17.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.9

$1.95 KWD 0.60

-13.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.7

$1.78 KWD 0.55

26.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿70.0

$1.15 KWD 0.36

80.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ฿50.9

$1.32 KWD 0.41

14.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.47

$1.11 KWD 0.35

24.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.91

$2.27 KWD 0.70

-52.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.49

$0.49 KWD 0.15

6.12%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.13 KWD 0.97

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 KWD 0.33

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 KWD 0.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ฿142

$1.58 KWD 0.49

165.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿633

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿61.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿48.93

$0.78 KWD 0.24

85.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.7 ฿1,909

$49.06 KWD 15.24

15.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿102

$1.57 KWD 0.49

92.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.29

$1.60 KWD 0.50

-36.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 ฿124

$5.50 KWD 1.71

-32.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.70

$0.15 KWD 0.05

880.00%

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

$26.8K ฿902.4K

$19.6K KWD 6,096

36.50%

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

$26.7K ฿899.5K

$17.5K KWD 5,449

52.21%

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

$96.4 ฿3,247

$65.7 KWD 20.43

46.58%

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

$11.26 ฿380

$16.29 KWD 5.06

-30.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.85 ฿568

$30.36 KWD 9.44

-44.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 ฿2,266

$97.6 KWD 30.32

-31.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.73 ฿361

$47.79 KWD 14.85

-77.55%

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 ฿253

$12.67 KWD 3.94

-40.81%

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

$476 ฿16.0K

$379 KWD 118

25.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿379.6K

$6,632 KWD 2,061

69.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 ฿2,102

$38.09 KWD 11.84

63.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.41 ฿957

$39.40 KWD 12.24

-27.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,178

$97.3 KWD 30.23

-3.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 ฿2,892

$88.6 KWD 27.52

-3.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 ฿24.1K

$737 KWD 229

-2.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 ฿16.5K

$505 KWD 157

-2.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,927 ฿64.9K

$1,769 KWD 550

8.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 ฿48.2K

$1,118 KWD 347

27.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,175 ฿140.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,045 ฿102.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿16.9K

$1,275 KWD 396

-60.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.53

-14.70%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Mahboula: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$491 38.4%

Mahboula

$505 40.8% 2.9% $14

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$266 20.8%

Mahboula

$175 14.1% 34.4% $92

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$124 9.7%

Mahboula

$112 9.1% 9.7% $12

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Mahboula

$119 9.6% 2.8% $3.4

Eating Out

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Mahboula

$144 11.6% 18.1% $22

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$82 6.4%

Mahboula

$123 9.9% 49.4% $41

Getting Around

Phuket

$71 5.5%

Mahboula

$62 5% 12.5% $8.8

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $716 in Phuket and $737 in Mahboula. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mahboula pays about 2.5 times more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $25 in Mahboula for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $266 vs $175 per month, with Mahboula cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇰🇼 Mahboula

🕒 Local time

15:59 3:59 PM

11:59 11:59 AM

4 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

18,178

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Kuwaiti Dinar KWD د.ك

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.97 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 KWD = 3.22 USD

1 KWD = 2.88 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KWD, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 33.7 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.61 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Kuwaiti Dinar exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 0.311 KWD (1 KWD = 3.22 USD). 1 EUR = 0.347 KWD (1 KWD = 2.88 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Phuket Mahboula 5,750 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Mahboula

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 Mahboula: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mahboula is about 3% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, transport, and clothing. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 61% lower in Phuket. 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: $716 in Phuket versus $737 in Mahboula. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Mahboula – a meal for two runs $25 versus $32 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $1,278 per month in Phuket versus $1,239 in Mahboula – Mahboula is about 3% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Either city works on $1,500 a month, though Mahboula gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Mahboula are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.