Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Qairawan Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Qairawan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,346 in Qairawan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $2,219 in Qairawan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $3,092 in Qairawan.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 6% less than in Qairawan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Qairawan is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$7.69 KWD 2.36

-38.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$58.5 KWD 17.93

-22.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$8.61 KWD 2.64

-2.09%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.46 KWD 0.75

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 KWD 1.04

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$5.47 KWD 1.68

-46.44%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.63 KWD 0.19

9.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.33 KWD 0.10

12.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.47 KWD 0.45

51.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.05 KWD 0.32

74.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.73 KWD 0.53

25.43%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$2.07 KWD 0.63

6.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$4.38 KWD 1.34

350.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$6.45 KWD 1.98

-43.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$9.73 KWD 2.98

39.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.32 KWD 0.71

41.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.63 KWD 0.50

-1.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.57 KWD 0.48

53.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.43 KWD 0.44

45.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$1.22 KWD 0.37

25.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$1.14 KWD 0.35

29.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$1.61 KWD 0.49

-38.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.46 KWD 0.14

10.87%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 KWD 0.41

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$2.97 KWD 0.91

48.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.83 KWD 0.25

65.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$44.71 KWD 13.71

-74.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$3.23 KWD 0.99

-6.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$3.18 KWD 0.98

-68.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$16.16 KWD 4.96

-12.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$0.37 KWD 0.11

267.57%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$20.5K KWD 6,273

37.89%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$19.4K KWD 5,961

69.29%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$61.8 KWD 18.96

96.89%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$18.26 KWD 5.60

-25.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$25.69 KWD 7.88

-28.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$95.5 KWD 29.30

-36.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$46.91 KWD 14.39

-63.46%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$11.22 KWD 3.44

-22.55%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$281 KWD 86.2

146.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$6,152 KWD 1,887

154.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$41.94 KWD 12.86

41.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$43.22 KWD 13.25

-19.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$88.6 KWD 27.17

29.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$83.0 KWD 25.45

0.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$808 KWD 248

-24.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$621 KWD 190

-29.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$1,544 KWD 473

35.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$1,300 KWD 399

16.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

7.14

-25.35%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Qairawan: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $808 in Qairawan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $58.0 in Qairawan. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $168, with Qairawan cheaper for home cooking.

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 Qairawan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $2,019 in Qairawan to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $808 in Qairawan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $281 in Qairawan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Qairawan pay roughly 75% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,346 in Qairawan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Qairawan. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Qairawan, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Qairawan 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 Qairawan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.