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: $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,322 in Muscat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,928 in Muscat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $2,533 in Muscat.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 5% less than in Muscat, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Muscat 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$5.29 OMR 2.04

-13.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$25.50 OMR 9.81

81.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$7.99 OMR 3.07

10.64%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$4.86 OMR 1.87

-37.04%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$1.01 OMR 0.39

-27.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.34 OMR 0.13

17.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$12.41 OMR 4.78

-80.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$11.66 OMR 4.49

-67.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.98 OMR 0.76

14.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.23 OMR 0.47

47.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.70 OMR 0.66

32.35%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$2.42 OMR 0.93

-7.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$3.71 OMR 1.43

425.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$4.89 OMR 1.88

-25.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$8.27 OMR 3.18

57.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$2.51 OMR 0.97

28.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.72 OMR 0.66

-5.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$1.78 OMR 0.69

33.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$1.14 OMR 0.44

78.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.02 OMR 0.39

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$0.98 OMR 0.38

53.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$1.09 OMR 0.42

-10.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.52 OMR 0.20

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$6.28 OMR 2.42

-29.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$15.71 OMR 6.05

16.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$4.38 OMR 1.68

-57.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$8.02 OMR 3.09

-66.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$1.27 OMR 0.49

11.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$63.0 OMR 24.25

-81.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$3.16 OMR 1.22

-1.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$0.80 OMR 0.31

30.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$10.20 OMR 3.92

38.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$0.64 OMR 0.25

104.69%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$22.5K OMR 8,652

23.71%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$21.5K OMR 8,277

54.43%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$109 OMR 41.77

12.79%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$40.41 OMR 15.55

-66.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$68.5 OMR 26.37

-72.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$48.75 OMR 18.76

24.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$23.23 OMR 8.94

-26.90%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$10.28 OMR 3.96

-11.77%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$190 OMR 73.0

272.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$10.0K OMR 3,860

57.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$51.0 OMR 19.62

14.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$39.14 OMR 15.06

-9.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$77.6 OMR 29.86

48.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$87.6 OMR 33.71

-4.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$616 OMR 237

1.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$407 OMR 157

9.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$1,243 OMR 478

64.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$714 OMR 275

108.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$2,866 OMR 1,103

21.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$1,593 OMR 613

61.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$1,576 OMR 607

-68.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.15

3.50%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Muscat: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $616 in Muscat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Muscat pays 215% 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: $46.00 in Phuket vs $26.00 in Muscat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $230 per month, with Muscat 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 6% in total monthly costs ($1,250 vs $1,322 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 215% 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: $626 in Phuket versus $616 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 $46.00 versus $26.00 in Muscat. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,250 per month in Phuket versus $1,322 in Muscat – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,322 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 6% less than in Muscat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.