Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mussaffah Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mussaffah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $1,793 in Mussaffah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $2,633 in Mussaffah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $3,474 in Mussaffah, rent included.

Phuket is about 29% cheaper than Mussaffah, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Mussaffah is 34% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$6.83 AED 25.07

-31.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,483

$32.35 AED 119

40.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$9.28 AED 34.10

-9.16%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.7

$4.80 AED 17.63

-38.96%

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

$0.69 ฿22.42

$0.94 AED 3.46

-26.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.00

$0.34 AED 1.26

8.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$9.37 AED 34.41

-74.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$9.73 AED 35.74

-61.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.0

$1.85 AED 6.78

20.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.9

$1.19 AED 4.36

53.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.9

$1.96 AED 7.21

10.71%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.4

$2.76 AED 10.15

-19.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$10.51 AED 38.59

87.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$6.71 AED 24.65

-45.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$8.79 AED 32.28

53.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$1.84 AED 6.77

78.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$1.49 AED 5.47

8.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$1.48 AED 5.44

62.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.17 AED 4.30

77.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.97

$1.04 AED 3.82

47.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.41

$1.24 AED 4.54

19.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.32

$1.45 AED 5.34

-31.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.68

$0.63 AED 2.33

-19.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$6.28 AED 23.07

-29.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿634

$13.80 AED 50.7

40.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.97 AED 7.22

-9.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.7

$2.23 AED 8.18

21.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.83

$1.61 AED 5.92

-14.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$52.9 AED 194

-78.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.7

$3.21 AED 11.79

-5.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.51

$0.55 AED 2.03

80.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$4.91 AED 18.04

187.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.55

$0.74 AED 2.72

83.78%

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

$28.2K ฿921.9K

$44.6K AED 163.9K

-36.79%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$22.0K AED 80.9K

49.31%

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

$122 ฿3,978

$142 AED 521

-14.13%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$64.3 AED 236

-78.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿599

$104 AED 381

-82.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,969

$63.1 AED 232

-4.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$39.13 AED 144

-56.20%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$13.00 AED 47.74

-33.15%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$636 AED 2,335

9.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.8K

$6,797 AED 25.0K

130.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,946

$53.0 AED 195

12.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,137

$56.3 AED 207

-38.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,746

$92.9 AED 341

23.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,723

$83.0 AED 305

0.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$741 AED 2,723

-17.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$762 AED 2,800

-42.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.5K

$2,483 AED 9,119

-15.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$1,369 AED 5,028

10.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

$4,673 AED 17.2K

-19.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

$1,956 AED 7,183

33.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$2,877 AED 10.6K

-82.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

4.75

12.21%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Mussaffah: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $741 in Mussaffah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 466% higher in Mussaffah, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket versus $32.00 in Mussaffah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $232 – making Mussaffah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Mussaffah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mussaffah is pricier by about 42%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $2,689 in Mussaffah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $693 per month in Phuket and $636 in Mussaffah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 27% cheaper in Mussaffah – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Mussaffah at $1,793. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mussaffah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mussaffah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.