Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ruwi

For one person, living is cheaper in Ruwi: $639 a month against $1,207 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $6,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,207

/mo nomad

Ruwi

🇴🇲 Oman

$639

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Ruwi

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Ruwi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,207 in Phuket versus $639 in Ruwi.

Phuket $1,207
Ruwi $639

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,037 in Phuket versus $833 in Ruwi.

Phuket $2,037
Ruwi $833

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,867 in Phuket versus $1,028 in Ruwi.

Phuket $2,867
Ruwi $1,028

Living in Phuket is roughly 89% more expensive than in Ruwi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 11% lower, Ruwi 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.58 ฿153

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.48 ฿1,086

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.55 ฿286

Cappuccino

$2.72 ฿91.0

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

$0.94 ฿31.25

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.39

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 ฿86.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 ฿128

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 ฿58.1

$1.99 OMR 0.77

-12.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ฿47.82

$1.98 OMR 0.76

-27.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.0

$0.99 OMR 0.38

54.55%

Eggs

$2.17 ฿72.7

$1.17 OMR 0.45

85.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.15 ฿640

$2.03 OMR 0.78

843.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿110

$2.05 OMR 0.79

60.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.14 ฿372

$4.93 OMR 1.90

125.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿98.5

$0.98 OMR 0.38

201.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.1

$1.02 OMR 0.39

64.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 ฿76.8

$1.02 OMR 0.39

125.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿71.3

$1.03 OMR 0.40

106.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.1

$0.99 OMR 0.38

54.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿45.55

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ฿37.44

$0.98 OMR 0.38

14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$1.02 OMR 0.39

-46.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

Wine (Bottle)

$18.19 ฿608

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ฿58.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 ฿93.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿74.1

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.06 ฿737

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 ฿97.3

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 ฿33.79

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.83 ฿128

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.85

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

$26.7K ฿891.6K

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

$26.7K ฿892.7K

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

$99.4 ฿3,321

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

$11.28 ฿377

$25.53 OMR 9.83

-55.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.36 ฿580

$79.3 OMR 30.55

-78.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 ฿1,747

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.85 ฿362

Cinema Ticket

$7.57 ฿253

$8.97 OMR 3.45

-15.61%

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

$558 ฿18.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿383.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 ฿2,102

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.58 ฿955

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.1 ฿3,213

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.1 ฿2,943

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$729 ฿24.4K

$396 OMR 152

84.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$460 ฿15.4K

$397 OMR 153

15.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,096 ฿70.0K

$901 OMR 347

132.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,222 ฿40.8K

$581 OMR 224

110.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,459 ฿115.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,489 ฿83.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$493 ฿16.5K

$4,398 OMR 1,693

-88.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phuket: October 13, 2026

Last update for Ruwi: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$460 38.1%

Ruwi

–

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$268 22.2%

Ruwi

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$128 10.6%

Ruwi

–

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$124 10.3%

Ruwi

–

Eating Out

Phuket

$121 10.1%

Ruwi

–

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$67 5.6%

Ruwi

–

Getting Around

Phuket

$39 3.2%

Ruwi

–

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $729 in Phuket and $396 in Ruwi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ruwi pays 792% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇴🇲 Ruwi

🕒 Local time

10:06 10:06 AM

07:06 7:06 AM

3 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Omani Rial OMR ر.ع.

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 OMR = 2.6 USD

1 OMR = 2.31 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

OMR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Omani Rial exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.385 OMR (1 OMR = 2.6 USD). 1 EUR = 0.433 OMR (1 OMR = 2.31 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Phuket Ruwi 4,590 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Ruwi

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Ruwi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ruwi is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 89% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 792% lower in Ruwi. 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: $729 in Phuket versus $396 in Ruwi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 125% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,207 per month in Phuket versus $639 in Ruwi – a 89% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $639 in Ruwi versus $1,207 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ruwi but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Ruwi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ruwi 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 Ruwi 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 Ruwi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 89% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.