Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Salalah Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Salalah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,034 in Salalah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,538 in Salalah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $2,042 in Salalah.

Living in Phuket is roughly 19% more expensive than in Salalah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Salalah 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$5.18 OMR 2.00

-14.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$26.51 OMR 10.21

21.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$12.81 OMR 4.93

-30.29%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$6.37 OMR 2.45

-54.47%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$0.87 OMR 0.33

1.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.25 OMR 0.10

92.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$8.91 OMR 3.43

-73.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$10.47 OMR 4.03

-64.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.98 OMR 0.76

-5.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$1.28 OMR 0.49

14.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$2.56 OMR 0.99

-39.45%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$4.74 OMR 1.82

313.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$4.76 OMR 1.83

-28.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$1.98 OMR 0.76

50.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.85 OMR 0.71

-9.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$2.02 OMR 0.78

9.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$1.83 OMR 0.71

18.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$1.51 OMR 0.58

0.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$1.03 OMR 0.40

30.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$1.08 OMR 0.42

4.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.49 OMR 0.19

12.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$5.83 OMR 2.24

-26.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$19.98 OMR 7.69

-4.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$3.86 OMR 1.49

-53.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$4.76 OMR 1.83

-41.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$1.26 OMR 0.49

76.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

$55.3 OMR 21.27

-58.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$2.29 OMR 0.88

32.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$1.26 OMR 0.49

-19.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$11.53 OMR 4.44

-66.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$0.59 OMR 0.23

152.54%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$20.9K OMR 8,053

27.09%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$18.5K OMR 7,136

45.82%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$78.8 OMR 30.33

30.09%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$49.07 OMR 18.89

-76.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$74.3 OMR 28.59

-76.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$39.68 OMR 15.28

31.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$26.54 OMR 10.22

-58.29%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$7.99 OMR 3.07

-3.75%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$1,944 OMR 749

491.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$28.98 OMR 11.16

117.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$30.69 OMR 11.81

-3.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$59.6 OMR 22.94

64.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$44.98 OMR 17.32

96.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$246 OMR 94.6

200.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$210 OMR 80.8

129.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$639 OMR 246

229.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$385 OMR 148

218.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$1,994 OMR 768

81.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$1,244 OMR 479

109.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$1,759 OMR 677

-71.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.58

21.62%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Salalah: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $246 in Salalah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Salalah pays 256% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $27.00 in Salalah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $205 per month, with Salalah 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 Salalah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Salalah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 256% lower in Salalah. 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: $738 in Phuket versus $246 in Salalah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Salalah – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Salalah runs roughly 143% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,034 in Salalah versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Salalah but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Salalah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Salalah 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 Salalah 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 Salalah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.