Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ruwi Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ruwi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $493 in Ruwi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $753 in Ruwi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,013 in Ruwi.

Living in Phuket is roughly 156% more expensive than Ruwi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Ruwi 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

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

$1.97 OMR 0.76

13.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$2.01 OMR 0.77

-8.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.02 OMR 0.39

112.75%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$1.22 OMR 0.47

81.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$2.05 OMR 0.79

862.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$1.96 OMR 0.76

85.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$4.92 OMR 1.90

175.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$1.01 OMR 0.39

224.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$0.97 OMR 0.37

65.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$0.98 OMR 0.38

145.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.02 OMR 0.39

103.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$0.99 OMR 0.38

54.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.98 OMR 0.38

1.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$1.02 OMR 0.39

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

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

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

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

$122 ฿3,975

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

$13.57 ฿443

$26.00 OMR 10.01

-47.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$77.2 OMR 29.71

-76.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$9.25 OMR 3.56

-6.05%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$13.2K OMR 5,080

18.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$391 OMR 151

56.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$255 OMR 98.2

71.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$920 OMR 354

127.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$573 OMR 221

163.39%

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

$2,566 OMR 988

-80.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Ruwi: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $391 in Ruwi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ruwi pays 405% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

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 & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 156% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Ruwi earns 405% less. 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: $613 in Phuket versus $391 in Ruwi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 147% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $493 in Ruwi – a 156% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $493 in Ruwi versus $1,265 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 156% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.