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: $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,041 in Mecca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,881 in Mecca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $2,721 in Mecca.

Living in Phuket is roughly 20% more expensive than in Mecca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Mecca 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$4.88 SAR 18.32

-6.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$40.07 SAR 150

15.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$9.21 SAR 34.60

-4.02%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.59 SAR 5.95

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 SAR 5.95

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$3.19 SAR 11.98

-4.08%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.91 SAR 3.41

-19.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.29 SAR 1.08

37.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.67 SAR 6.25

35.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$0.89 SAR 3.34

103.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$2.26 SAR 8.49

-0.44%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$2.97 SAR 11.17

-24.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$6.92 SAR 25.99

181.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$8.58 SAR 32.23

-57.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$13.57 SAR 50.9

-3.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$2.31 SAR 8.67

39.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.57 SAR 5.88

3.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$1.87 SAR 7.02

27.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$2.03 SAR 7.63

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.20 SAR 4.49

27.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.22 SAR 4.57

22.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$1.05 SAR 3.94

-6.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.66 SAR 2.46

-21.21%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.25 SAR 15.95

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.52

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 SAR 8.12

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$7.94 SAR 29.81

-44.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$1.37 SAR 5.14

2.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$39.83 SAR 150

-70.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$2.35 SAR 8.83

32.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$1.83 SAR 6.87

-43.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$10.56 SAR 39.64

33.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$0.59 SAR 2.22

122.03%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$26.3K SAR 98.8K

5.72%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$20.9K SAR 78.6K

58.76%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$77.1 SAR 289

58.89%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$35.21 SAR 132

-61.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$67.3 SAR 253

-72.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$84.8 SAR 318

-28.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$34.89 SAR 131

-51.33%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$18.68 SAR 70.1

-51.45%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$399 SAR 1,500

76.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$4,631 SAR 17.4K

241.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$22.32 SAR 83.8

162.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$63.5 SAR 239

-44.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$59.2 SAR 222

94.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$51.3 SAR 192

63.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$226 SAR 849

176.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$290 SAR 1,090

53.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$686 SAR 2,576

197.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$1,041 SAR 3,909

43.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$6,389 SAR 24.0K

-45.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$2,305 SAR 8,656

11.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$1,089 SAR 4,088

-54.09%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mecca: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $226 in Mecca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mecca pays 118% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $40.00 in Mecca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $208 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 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 118% 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: $626 in Phuket versus $226 in Mecca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,250 per month in Phuket versus $1,041 in Mecca – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mecca runs roughly 240% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,041 in Mecca versus $1,250 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 20% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.