Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Sanad Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Sanad

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,296 in Sanad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $2,015 in Sanad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $2,734 in Sanad.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 5% less than in Sanad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Sanad 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$6.58 BHD 2.47

-29.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$53.0 BHD 19.92

-11.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$7.52 BHD 2.83

17.55%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$5.23 BHD 1.97

-42.64%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.80 BHD 0.30

-7.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.39 BHD 0.15

-5.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$8.05 BHD 3.03

-69.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$10.66 BHD 4.01

-66.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.20 BHD 0.45

88.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$1.29 BHD 0.49

42.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$2.34 BHD 0.88

-4.27%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$2.41 BHD 0.91

-3.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$8.65 BHD 3.25

127.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$7.59 BHD 2.85

-51.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$10.26 BHD 3.86

27.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$2.23 BHD 0.84

52.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$2.11 BHD 0.79

-22.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.76 BHD 0.66

36.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$1.21 BHD 0.45

67.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$0.95 BHD 0.36

64.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$1.04 BHD 0.39

44.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$1.52 BHD 0.57

-32.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.44 BHD 0.17

11.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$6.79 BHD 2.55

-34.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$18.79 BHD 7.07

0.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$3.51 BHD 1.32

-49.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$3.22 BHD 1.21

-14.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$4.50 BHD 1.69

-30.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$4.09 BHD 1.54

-75.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$27.03 BHD 10.16

-47.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$0.52 BHD 0.19

159.62%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$36.6K BHD 13.7K

-25.63%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$20.6K BHD 7,742

59.89%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$120 BHD 45.09

4.23%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$15.95 BHD 6.00

-14.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$38.66 BHD 14.54

-52.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$78.4 BHD 29.50

-21.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$10.63 BHD 4.00

-13.55%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$391 BHD 147

78.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$9,061 BHD 3,407

72.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$46.35 BHD 17.43

24.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$61.8 BHD 23.24

-42.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$84.2 BHD 31.66

34.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$67.4 BHD 25.35

28.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$670 BHD 252

-8.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$394 BHD 148

13.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$1,463 BHD 550

39.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$802 BHD 301

86.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$1,205 BHD 453

-56.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

8.56

-37.73%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Sanad: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $670 in Sanad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sanad pays 130% 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: $47.00 in Phuket vs $53.0 in Sanad. Groceries flip the comparison at $292 vs $253, with Sanad 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 Sanad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Sanad earns 130% 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: $616 in Phuket versus $670 in Sanad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $698 in Phuket versus $391 in Sanad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $53.0 in Sanad. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,296 in Sanad, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Sanad. 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 Sanad, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Sanad 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 5% less than in Sanad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.