Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mecca

For one person, living is cheaper in Mecca: $1,076 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index
52

Cost of Living Index in Mecca
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Mecca Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

Mecca

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

$1,076

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Mecca

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,278 in Phuket versus $1,076 in Mecca.

Phuket $1,278
Mecca $1,076

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,216 in Phuket versus $1,613 in Mecca.

Phuket $2,216
Mecca $1,613

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,154 in Phuket versus $2,151 in Mecca.

Phuket $3,154
Mecca $2,151

Living in Phuket is roughly 19% more expensive than in Mecca, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Mecca 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.47 ฿151

$4.64 SAR 17.41

-3.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.41 ฿1,094

$26.18 SAR 98.3

23.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.81 ฿297

$7.00 SAR 26.27

25.86%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.51 SAR 5.68

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 SAR 5.86

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿95.4

$2.53 SAR 9.50

11.86%

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

$0.87 ฿29.42

$0.71 SAR 2.67

22.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.66

$0.25 SAR 0.94

96.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 ฿86.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿56.0

$1.69 SAR 6.34

-1.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿49.32

$0.96 SAR 3.62

52.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$2.10 SAR 7.89

-28.57%

Eggs

$2.09 ฿70.5

$2.50 SAR 9.39

-16.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.07 ฿643

$5.91 SAR 22.16

222.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿111

$8.18 SAR 30.71

-59.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.91 ฿368

$13.00 SAR 48.78

-16.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 ฿98.9

$2.09 SAR 7.83

40.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿57.0

$1.62 SAR 6.07

4.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.60 SAR 5.99

40.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿70.1

$1.54 SAR 5.76

35.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ฿51.0

$1.17 SAR 4.39

29.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$1.32 SAR 4.94

4.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.97

$1.09 SAR 4.08

-1.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.51

$0.54 SAR 2.03

-3.70%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.24 SAR 15.91

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 SAR 6.62

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 SAR 6.18

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ฿142

$6.70 SAR 25.16

-37.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿634

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿61.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.9

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿49.00

$1.09 SAR 4.07

33.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.7 ฿1,912

$45.74 SAR 172

23.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿102

$2.43 SAR 9.11

24.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.34

$1.77 SAR 6.65

-42.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 ฿125

$13.28 SAR 49.85

-72.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.78

$0.61 SAR 2.27

140.98%

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

$26.8K ฿903.7K

$26.5K SAR 99.5K

1.00%

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

$26.7K ฿900.8K

$21.4K SAR 80.2K

24.87%

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

$96.4 ฿3,252

$67.8 SAR 254

42.19%

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

$11.26 ฿380

$34.99 SAR 131

-67.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.85 ฿569

$61.9 SAR 232

-72.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 ฿2,269

$80.8 SAR 303

-16.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.73 ฿362

$41.97 SAR 158

-74.43%

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 ฿253

$12.00 SAR 45.05

-37.50%

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

$476 ฿16.1K

$757 SAR 2,841

-37.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿380.1K

$16.8K SAR 63.0K

-32.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 ฿2,105

$13.39 SAR 50.3

365.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.41 ฿959

$56.6 SAR 212

-49.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,182

$39.94 SAR 150

136.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 ฿2,896

$52.6 SAR 197

63.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 ฿24.2K

$603 SAR 2,265

18.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 ฿16.6K

$386 SAR 1,449

27.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,927 ฿65.0K

$903 SAR 3,389

113.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 ฿48.3K

$620 SAR 2,327

130.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,175 ฿140.9K

$5,392 SAR 20.2K

-22.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,045 ฿102.8K

$1,411 SAR 5,294

115.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿17.0K

$1,071 SAR 4,021

-53.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.25

6.10%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Mecca: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$491 38.4%

Mecca

$386 35.9% 21.4% $105

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$266 20.8%

Mecca

$194 18% 27.2% $72

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$124 9.7%

Mecca

$165 15.3% 32.2% $40

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Mecca

$73 6.8% 40% $49

Eating Out

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Mecca

$92 8.6% 24.1% $29

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$82 6.4%

Mecca

$105 9.7% 27.4% $23

Getting Around

Phuket

$71 5.5%

Mecca

$61 5.7% 13.1% $9.2

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $716 in Phuket and $603 in Mecca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mecca pays about 2.1 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 $26 in Mecca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $266 vs $194 per month, with Mecca cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇸🇦 Mecca

🕒 Local time

19:12 7:12 PM

15:12 3:12 PM

4 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

1,675,368

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 SAR = 0.266 USD

1 SAR = 0.239 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SAR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.66 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Saudi Riyal exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3.75 SAR (1 SAR = 0.266 USD). 1 EUR = 4.19 SAR (1 SAR = 0.239 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Phuket Mecca 6,440 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Mecca

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 Mecca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mecca is about 16% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 53% 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 $603 in Mecca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $1,278 per month in Phuket versus $1,076 in Mecca – Mecca is about 16% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Mecca runs roughly 19% less than in Phuket. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Either city works on $1,500 a month, though Mecca 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 Mecca are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

Expats usually find Mecca gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.