Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Muscat Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Muscat

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,253 in Phuket versus $1,525 in Muscat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,043 in Phuket versus $2,272 in Muscat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Phuket versus $3,019 in Muscat.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 18% less than in Muscat, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 9% below, Muscat is 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

$5.34 OMR 2.06

-14.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.62 ฿1,073

$34.00 OMR 13.09

-4.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿293

$7.74 OMR 2.98

14.99%

Cappuccino

$2.80 ฿92.2

$4.73 OMR 1.82

-40.80%

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

$0.88 ฿28.94

$0.86 OMR 0.33

2.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.08

$0.29 OMR 0.11

68.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.5

$13.07 OMR 5.03

-81.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿122

$12.79 OMR 4.92

-70.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿58.8

$2.25 OMR 0.87

-20.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.40

$1.25 OMR 0.48

15.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.1

$1.90 OMR 0.73

-16.84%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$2.94 OMR 1.13

-27.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿655

$7.65 OMR 2.94

160.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿113

$6.57 OMR 2.53

-47.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿372

$10.54 OMR 4.06

7.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.0

$3.41 OMR 1.31

-13.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.6

$2.00 OMR 0.77

-14.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿76.5

$2.32 OMR 0.89

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$1.20 OMR 0.46

73.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.34

$1.22 OMR 0.47

20.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿44.65

$1.29 OMR 0.50

5.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.13

$1.80 OMR 0.69

-38.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.89

$0.67 OMR 0.26

-14.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$6.30 OMR 2.43

-32.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿606

$15.43 OMR 5.94

19.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿61.5

$5.68 OMR 2.19

-67.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.1

$8.72 OMR 3.36

-66.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿73.0

$1.29 OMR 0.49

72.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

$76.7 OMR 29.52

-70.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.6

$3.21 OMR 1.24

-5.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.32

$2.59 OMR 1.00

-58.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

$7.82 OMR 3.01

-49.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.06

$0.61 OMR 0.23

144.26%

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

$27.1K ฿892.0K

$25.1K OMR 9,665

8.06%

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

$27.5K ฿902.6K

$22.2K OMR 8,564

23.41%

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

$103 ฿3,380

$170 OMR 65.5

-39.53%

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

$10.99 ฿361

$30.94 OMR 11.91

-64.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿576

$69.9 OMR 26.92

-74.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,760

$62.7 OMR 24.14

-14.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

$29.20 OMR 11.24

-61.64%

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

$10.34 OMR 3.98

-27.66%

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

$557 ฿18.3K

$289 OMR 111

92.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿389.7K

$10.7K OMR 4,110

11.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,107

$55.7 OMR 21.42

15.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿956

$43.19 OMR 16.63

-32.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,155

$92.0 OMR 35.43

4.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,970

$96.0 OMR 36.95

-5.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

$673 OMR 259

8.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

$455 OMR 175

9.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.7K

$1,366 OMR 526

53.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.8K

$857 OMR 330

41.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

$2,835 OMR 1,092

26.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

$1,595 OMR 614

57.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.6K

$1,660 OMR 639

-69.68%

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: August 31, 2026

Last update for Muscat: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $730 in Phuket and $673 in Muscat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Muscat pays 230% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Phuket vs $34.00 in Muscat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 vs $284 per month, with Phuket 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 Muscat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Muscat differ by about 22% in total monthly costs ($1,253 vs $1,525 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 230% lower in Muscat. 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: $730 in Phuket versus $673 in Muscat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $34.00 in Muscat. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,253 per month in Phuket versus $1,525 in Muscat – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,253 in Phuket versus $1,525 in Muscat, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Muscat. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Muscat 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Muscat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.