Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Sa'dah Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Sa'dah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,243 in Phuket versus $763 in Sa'dah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,023 in Phuket versus $1,188 in Sa'dah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,803 in Phuket versus $1,612 in Sa'dah.

Living in Phuket is roughly 63% more expensive than in Sa'dah, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Sa'dah 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.37 ฿147

$6.48 YER 1,531

-32.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.87 ฿1,103

$25.52 YER 6,026

28.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.39 ฿282

$9.46 YER 2,233

-11.31%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 YER 475

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 YER 615

Cappuccino

$2.73 ฿91.8

$3.70 YER 873

-26.22%

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

$0.88 ฿29.59

$1.12 YER 264

-21.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ฿15.92

$0.65 YER 153

-27.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 ฿61.5

$2.08 YER 490

-12.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 ฿48.58

$1.63 YER 384

-11.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.9

$2.06 YER 486

-23.30%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.4

$3.68 YER 869

-42.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.37 ฿650

$17.32 YER 4,090

11.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿115

$8.34 YER 1,969

-58.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.96 ฿368

$19.04 YER 4,496

-42.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 ฿101

$3.25 YER 768

-7.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.9

$1.01 YER 239

62.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿74.1

$2.14 YER 505

3.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 ฿71.2

$1.67 YER 394

26.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿49.34

$1.47 YER 346

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 ฿44.37

$1.37 YER 323

-3.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.93

$1.21 YER 286

-11.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.61

$0.68 YER 161

-23.53%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.37 YER 795

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 YER 444

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 YER 809

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 ฿147

$5.39 YER 1,272

-18.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.59 ฿624

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 ฿58.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 ฿95.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 ฿76.0

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.98 ฿771

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 ฿98.7

$4.10 YER 969

-28.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.84

$2.10 YER 495

-49.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.84 ฿129

$7.29 YER 1,722

-47.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 ฿48.96

$2.12 YER 501

-31.13%

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

$27.2K ฿912.2K

$16.7K YER 3.9M

62.85%

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

$26.6K ฿893.5K

$34.9K YER 8.2M

-23.74%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$106 YER 25.0K

-3.78%

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

$10.96 ฿368

$23.16 YER 5,467

-52.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.89 ฿567

$102 YER 24.1K

-83.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.4 ฿1,758

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.93 ฿367

Cinema Ticket

$7.52 ฿252

$5.89 YER 1,390

27.67%

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

$547 ฿18.3K

$118 YER 27.8K

364.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿379.5K

$2,174 YER 513.2K

420.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.2 ฿2,122

$42.97 YER 10.1K

47.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.23 ฿981

$122 YER 28.9K

-76.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.8 ฿3,282

$46.99 YER 11.1K

108.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.7 ฿2,909

$41.49 YER 9,795

108.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$721 ฿24.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$476 ฿16.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,081 ฿69.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,194 ฿40.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,577 ฿120.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,541 ฿85.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$489 ฿16.4K

$312 YER 73.7K

56.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.25

-50.49%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 28, 2026

Last update for Sa'dah: September 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Phuket pays 57% 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: $33.00 in Phuket vs $26.00 in Sa'dah. Groceries flip the comparison at $269 vs $270, with Phuket 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 Sa'dah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sa'dah is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 63% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 57% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $547 in Phuket versus $118 in Sa'dah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Sa'dah – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $33.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $763 in Sa'dah versus $1,243 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sa'dah but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Sa'dah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Sa'dah 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 Sa'dah 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 Sa'dah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 63% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.