Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Salmiya Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Salmiya

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,426 in Salmiya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $2,291 in Salmiya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $3,156 in Salmiya.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 11% less than in Salmiya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Salmiya is 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$8.72 KWD 2.68

-46.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$49.94 KWD 15.32

-9.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$7.62 KWD 2.34

10.63%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 KWD 0.51

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 KWD 0.49

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$4.92 KWD 1.51

-40.45%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.45 KWD 0.14

53.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.34 KWD 0.11

8.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.56 KWD 0.48

42.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$0.88 KWD 0.27

107.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.72 KWD 0.53

26.16%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$1.89 KWD 0.58

16.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$5.19 KWD 1.59

280.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$6.35 KWD 1.95

-42.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$9.02 KWD 2.77

50.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.26 KWD 0.69

45.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.68 KWD 0.52

-4.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.80 KWD 0.55

33.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.46 KWD 0.45

42.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$1.24 KWD 0.38

23.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$1.32 KWD 0.40

12.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$1.69 KWD 0.52

-41.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.46 KWD 0.14

10.87%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.01 KWD 0.31

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 KWD 0.42

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$3.00 KWD 0.92

47.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$1.04 KWD 0.32

31.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$49.89 KWD 15.30

-77.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$3.24 KWD 0.99

-6.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$3.23 KWD 0.99

-69.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$12.97 KWD 3.98

8.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$0.33 KWD 0.10

312.12%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$19.3K KWD 5,921

46.09%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$19.8K KWD 6,078

66.04%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$54.8 KWD 16.81

122.04%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$18.77 KWD 5.76

-27.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$25.43 KWD 7.80

-28.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$108 KWD 33.07

-44.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$33.02 KWD 10.13

-48.09%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$11.50 KWD 3.53

-24.43%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$397 KWD 122

74.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$5,493 KWD 1,685

185.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$42.72 KWD 13.10

39.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$42.28 KWD 12.97

-17.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$87.0 KWD 26.67

31.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$82.8 KWD 25.38

0.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$879 KWD 270

-30.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$670 KWD 205

-34.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$2,716 KWD 833

-22.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$1,340 KWD 411

12.69%

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

$1,428 KWD 438

-64.43%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Salmiya: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $879 in Salmiya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Salmiya pays 181% 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: $45.00 in Phuket vs $50.0 in Salmiya. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $168, with Salmiya 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 Salmiya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Salmiya earns 181% less. 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: $613 in Phuket versus $879 in Salmiya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $397 in Salmiya. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Salmiya pay roughly 75% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,426 in Salmiya, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Salmiya. 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 Salmiya, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Salmiya 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 13% less than in Salmiya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.