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: $1,232 in Phuket versus $978 in Mecca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,472 in Mecca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $1,965 in Mecca.

Living in Phuket is roughly 26% more expensive than in Mecca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Mecca 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$4.55 SAR 17.08

-3.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$27.00 SAR 101

19.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$6.94 SAR 26.07

28.67%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.61 SAR 6.05

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 SAR 6.04

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$2.62 SAR 9.83

10.69%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$0.72 SAR 2.70

22.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.23 SAR 0.86

108.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.69 SAR 6.35

10.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$1.01 SAR 3.80

45.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$2.29 SAR 8.59

-32.31%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$2.42 SAR 9.09

-13.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$6.45 SAR 24.23

203.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$8.03 SAR 30.17

-57.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$12.76 SAR 47.92

-10.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$2.04 SAR 7.67

46.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.66 SAR 6.23

1.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$1.61 SAR 6.04

37.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$1.63 SAR 6.13

32.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$1.13 SAR 4.26

34.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$1.31 SAR 4.90

2.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$1.10 SAR 4.14

2.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.50 SAR 1.86

10.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.20 SAR 15.76

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.95

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SAR 7.80

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$6.71 SAR 25.20

-36.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$1.36 SAR 5.11

63.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$1.90 SAR 7.14

59.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$1.72 SAR 6.46

-40.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$13.53 SAR 50.8

-71.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$0.61 SAR 2.29

144.26%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$48.0K SAR 180.4K

-44.64%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$21.3K SAR 80.0K

26.94%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$74.4 SAR 279

37.80%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$34.06 SAR 128

-66.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$67.9 SAR 255

-74.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$77.4 SAR 291

-32.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$34.11 SAR 128

-67.55%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$12.06 SAR 45.31

-36.24%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$398 SAR 1,494

40.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$4,586 SAR 17.2K

150.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$22.97 SAR 86.3

174.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$58.8 SAR 221

-49.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$49.77 SAR 187

96.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$51.0 SAR 192

73.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$597 SAR 2,241

23.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$313 SAR 1,175

54.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$1,531 SAR 5,749

37.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$514 SAR 1,931

138.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$6,400 SAR 24.0K

-43.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$2,281 SAR 8,568

14.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$1,093 SAR 4,107

-54.86%

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: September 15, 2026

Last update for Mecca: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $597 in Mecca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mecca pays 122% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $27.00 in Mecca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $195 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, Getting Around. The 26% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 122% lower in Mecca. 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: $738 in Phuket versus $597 in Mecca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 40% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $978 in Mecca – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $978 in Mecca versus $1,232 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 26% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.