Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Sabah Al Salem Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Sabah Al Salem

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,358 in Sabah Al Salem.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $2,245 in Sabah Al Salem.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $3,132 in Sabah Al Salem.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 8% less than in Sabah Al Salem, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Sabah Al Salem is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$7.70 KWD 2.39

-40.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$58.1 KWD 17.99

-20.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$8.41 KWD 2.61

5.11%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 KWD 0.77

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 KWD 1.06

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$5.28 KWD 1.63

-42.05%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.60 KWD 0.19

21.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.36 KWD 0.11

11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.49 KWD 0.46

51.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.06 KWD 0.33

70.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.72 KWD 0.53

30.81%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$2.05 KWD 0.64

9.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$4.37 KWD 1.35

346.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$6.41 KWD 1.99

-43.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$9.76 KWD 3.03

33.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$2.32 KWD 0.72

39.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.60 KWD 0.50

1.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$1.52 KWD 0.47

56.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$1.35 KWD 0.42

50.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.22 KWD 0.38

25.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.15 KWD 0.36

30.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$1.63 KWD 0.50

-39.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.42 KWD 0.13

23.81%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.85 KWD 0.88

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 KWD 0.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$3.00 KWD 0.93

48.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.88 KWD 0.27

60.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$43.89 KWD 13.60

-73.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$3.25 KWD 1.01

-4.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$3.33 KWD 1.03

-68.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$16.23 KWD 5.03

-13.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$0.36 KWD 0.11

263.89%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$20.7K KWD 6,425

34.16%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$19.3K KWD 5,995

71.70%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$62.2 KWD 19.26

97.01%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$18.37 KWD 5.69

-26.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$25.42 KWD 7.88

-26.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$92.2 KWD 28.58

-34.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$46.49 KWD 14.41

-63.48%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$11.23 KWD 3.48

-19.23%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$282 KWD 87.5

150.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$6,129 KWD 1,899

157.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$41.43 KWD 12.84

41.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$41.70 KWD 12.92

-15.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$87.1 KWD 27.00

32.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$80.5 KWD 24.95

4.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$808 KWD 251

-22.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$619 KWD 192

-28.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$1,591 KWD 493

28.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$1,289 KWD 399

15.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$2,998 KWD 929

-83.33%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Sabah Al Salem: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $808 in Sabah Al Salem. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sabah Al Salem pays 500% 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: $46.00 in Phuket vs $58.0 in Sabah Al Salem. Groceries flip the comparison at $289 vs $167, with Sabah Al Salem 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 Sabah Al Salem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 500% lower in Sabah Al Salem. 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: $626 in Phuket versus $808 in Sabah Al Salem. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $282 in Sabah Al Salem. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Sabah Al Salem pay roughly 73% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,358 in Sabah Al Salem, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Sabah Al Salem. 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 Sabah Al Salem, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Sabah Al Salem 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 9% less than in Sabah Al Salem. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.