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: $1,261 in Phuket versus $766 in Sa'dah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,078 in Phuket versus $1,189 in Sa'dah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,896 in Phuket versus $1,611 in Sa'dah.

Living in Phuket is roughly 65% more expensive than in Sa'dah, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Sa'dah 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.43 ฿145

$6.16 YER 1,459

-28.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.07 ฿1,151

$25.34 YER 6,001

38.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 ฿294

$9.36 YER 2,217

-4.27%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.97 YER 467

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 YER 580

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.4

$3.75 YER 888

-20.00%

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

$0.77 ฿25.33

$1.16 YER 274

-33.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ฿15.44

$0.63 YER 149

-25.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 ฿78.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿123

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 ฿59.8

$2.07 YER 491

-12.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 ฿46.65

$1.71 YER 404

-16.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.8

$1.99 YER 472

-22.11%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$3.57 YER 845

-40.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.76 ฿648

$17.43 YER 4,128

13.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿114

$8.26 YER 1,955

-57.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.09 ฿364

$18.81 YER 4,456

-41.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 ฿95.5

$3.35 YER 794

-13.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ฿54.6

$1.00 YER 237

66.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿74.5

$2.19 YER 519

3.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 ฿68.8

$1.62 YER 384

29.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.24

$1.48 YER 350

-0.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 ฿46.29

$1.37 YER 324

2.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ฿35.78

$1.21 YER 287

-9.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ฿17.58

$0.69 YER 164

-21.74%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.26 YER 773

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 YER 440

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 YER 807

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.48 ฿147

$5.52 YER 1,307

-18.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.72 ฿614

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿60.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 ฿96.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 ฿74.1

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.07 ฿757

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ฿99.9

$4.22 YER 1,000

-27.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 ฿35.82

$2.15 YER 510

-49.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 ฿125

$7.03 YER 1,666

-45.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿48.79

$2.10 YER 497

-29.05%

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

$27.4K ฿900.3K

$16.8K YER 4.0M

63.61%

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

$27.5K ฿902.7K

$35.1K YER 8.3M

-21.68%

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

$102 ฿3,340

$108 YER 25.6K

-5.79%

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

$11.28 ฿370

$23.19 YER 5,491

-51.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.75 ฿582

$103 YER 24.4K

-82.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 ฿1,777

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.96 ฿360

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 ฿258

$6.05 YER 1,432

29.75%

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

$577 ฿18.9K

$115 YER 27.2K

401.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿381.6K

$2,150 YER 509.1K

441.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 ฿2,144

$42.74 YER 10.1K

52.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.89 ฿948

$121 YER 28.7K

-76.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 ฿3,250

$48.10 YER 11.4K

105.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,961

$40.30 YER 9,545

123.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$756 ฿24.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 ฿16.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿68.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 ฿39.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,591 ฿117.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,610 ฿85.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿16.5K

$314 YER 74.4K

59.75%

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: August 18, 2026

Last update for Sa'dah: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Phuket pays 60% 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: $35.00 in Phuket vs $25.00 in Sa'dah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $270 per month, with Sa'dah cheaper across the board.

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 Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 65% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 60% 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 $577 in Phuket versus $115 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 $25.00 versus $35.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $766 in Sa'dah versus $1,261 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 65% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.