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: $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,251 in Mahboula.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $2,031 in Mahboula.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $2,810 in Mahboula.

Living in Phuket is roughly 1% more expensive than Mahboula, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Mahboula 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$6.71 KWD 2.06

-32.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$26.36 KWD 8.10

76.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$8.94 KWD 2.75

-5.26%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.62 KWD 0.50

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 KWD 1.02

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$5.88 KWD 1.81

-48.47%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.51 KWD 0.16

35.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.14 KWD 0.04

164.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.61 KWD 0.49

35.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$0.94 KWD 0.29

102.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.79 KWD 0.55

22.91%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$1.34 KWD 0.41

65.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$5.11 KWD 1.57

291.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$6.32 KWD 1.94

-42.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$10.19 KWD 3.13

30.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$2.42 KWD 0.74

33.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.95 KWD 0.60

-12.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.73 KWD 0.53

38.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.11 KWD 0.34

87.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.21 KWD 0.37

31.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.11 KWD 0.34

33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$1.61 KWD 0.49

-36.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.46 KWD 0.14

13.04%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.30 KWD 1.02

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 KWD 0.41

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$1.58 KWD 0.49

168.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.78 KWD 0.24

74.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$48.84 KWD 15.00

-76.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$1.65 KWD 0.51

90.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$1.65 KWD 0.51

-36.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$5.89 KWD 1.81

133.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$0.16 KWD 0.05

737.50%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$19.5K KWD 6,000

41.70%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$17.7K KWD 5,439

91.26%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$61.3 KWD 18.84

101.52%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$16.24 KWD 4.99

-16.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$26.02 KWD 7.99

-28.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$95.5 KWD 29.33

-35.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$47.19 KWD 14.50

-63.45%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$11.34 KWD 3.48

-19.40%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$399 KWD 123

76.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$6,527 KWD 2,005

143.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$42.71 KWD 13.12

39.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$42.75 KWD 13.13

-17.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$87.1 KWD 26.76

32.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$80.2 KWD 24.65

4.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$746 KWD 229

-17.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$507 KWD 156

-14.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$1,792 KWD 551

15.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$1,150 KWD 353

31.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$1,318 KWD 405

-61.54%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Mahboula: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $746 in Mahboula. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mahboula pays 160% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $26.00 in Mahboula for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $170 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

Mahboula is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Mahboula earns 160% 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: $619 in Phuket versus $746 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 $26.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,261 per month in Phuket versus $1,251 in Mahboula – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,251 in Mahboula versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mahboula but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Mahboula the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mahboula is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, 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 Mahboula gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.