Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Saham Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Saham

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $817 in Saham.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,208 in Saham.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,598 in Saham.

Living in Phuket is roughly 55% more expensive than Saham, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Saham 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$5.14 OMR 1.98

-8.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$25.89 OMR 9.97

75.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$8.01 OMR 3.08

5.24%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$4.79 OMR 1.84

-38.83%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$1.02 OMR 0.39

-32.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.32 OMR 0.12

15.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$12.45 OMR 4.79

-80.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$11.67 OMR 4.49

-68.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.92 OMR 0.74

16.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.18 OMR 0.45

55.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.67 OMR 0.64

29.94%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$2.45 OMR 0.94

-9.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$3.68 OMR 1.42

436.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$4.97 OMR 1.91

-26.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$8.41 OMR 3.24

60.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.60 OMR 1.00

26.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.71 OMR 0.66

-5.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.86 OMR 0.72

29.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.14 OMR 0.44

82.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$0.96 OMR 0.37

59.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$0.97 OMR 0.37

52.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$1.09 OMR 0.42

-9.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.56 OMR 0.22

-8.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$6.48 OMR 2.50

-31.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$15.43 OMR 5.94

25.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$4.20 OMR 1.62

-57.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$7.98 OMR 3.07

-66.04%

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

$3.18 OMR 1.22

-5.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$0.82 OMR 0.31

20.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$10.30 OMR 3.96

36.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$0.60 OMR 0.23

126.67%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$23.2K OMR 8,926

21.65%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$21.3K OMR 8,198

54.51%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$106 OMR 40.72

15.06%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$40.95 OMR 15.76

-66.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$70.5 OMR 27.13

-74.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$10.34 OMR 3.98

-15.96%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$193 OMR 74.2

259.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$10.0K OMR 3,865

56.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$50.9 OMR 19.59

16.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$38.91 OMR 14.98

-10.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$80.5 OMR 30.97

42.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$89.4 OMR 34.40

-6.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

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

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.15

3.50%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Saham: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $26.00 in Saham for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $229 per month, with Saham 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 Saham: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saham is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 55% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $1,226 in Saham to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $193 in Saham. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Saham – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $817 in Saham versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Saham but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Saham the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Saham 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 Saham 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 Saham gentler on the wallet – expenses run 55% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.