Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mecca Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mecca

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,065 in Mecca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,917 in Mecca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $2,769 in Mecca.

Living in Phuket is roughly 19% more expensive than Mecca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$4.89 SAR 18.34

-3.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$39.53 SAR 148

14.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$9.39 SAR 35.23

-10.22%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 SAR 6.00

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$3.16 SAR 11.87

-7.28%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.87 SAR 3.25

-20.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.29 SAR 1.07

27.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.64 SAR 6.16

35.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$0.89 SAR 3.34

105.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$2.24 SAR 8.41

-3.13%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$2.98 SAR 11.19

-25.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$7.04 SAR 26.43

180.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$8.39 SAR 31.48

-56.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$13.38 SAR 50.2

1.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.31 SAR 8.69

41.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.61 SAR 6.06

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.77 SAR 6.65

36.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$2.04 SAR 7.66

1.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$1.26 SAR 4.73

21.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$1.24 SAR 4.67

19.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$1.06 SAR 3.96

-6.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.68 SAR 2.56

-25.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.04 SAR 15.18

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.52

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 SAR 7.76

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$8.01 SAR 30.06

-44.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$1.31 SAR 4.92

4.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$40.59 SAR 152

-71.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$2.44 SAR 9.14

23.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$1.83 SAR 6.89

-45.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$10.59 SAR 39.74

33.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$0.60 SAR 2.26

126.67%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$26.8K SAR 100.4K

5.40%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$21.4K SAR 80.5K

53.44%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$77.7 SAR 291

56.73%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$35.25 SAR 132

-61.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$65.8 SAR 247

-72.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$87.6 SAR 329

-31.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$34.97 SAR 131

-50.99%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$18.59 SAR 69.8

-53.25%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$404 SAR 1,517

71.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$4,604 SAR 17.3K

240.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$22.51 SAR 84.5

164.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$62.5 SAR 235

-44.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$58.8 SAR 221

94.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$51.1 SAR 192

62.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$231 SAR 867

165.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$282 SAR 1,058

54.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$669 SAR 2,509

213.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$1,026 SAR 3,851

47.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$6,512 SAR 24.4K

-42.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$2,238 SAR 8,399

16.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$1,075 SAR 4,034

-52.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.5

-3.09%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Mecca: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $231 in Mecca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mecca pays 112% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $40.00 in Mecca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $207 per month, with Mecca 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 Mecca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mecca is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out. The 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Mecca earns 112% 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: $613 in Phuket versus $231 in Mecca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $1,065 in Mecca – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mecca runs roughly 256% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,065 in Mecca versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mecca but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Mecca the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mecca 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 Mecca 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 Mecca gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.