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: $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,294 in Sanad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $2,016 in Sanad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $2,739 in Sanad.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 2% less than in Sanad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Sanad 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$6.78 BHD 2.56

-33.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$52.0 BHD 19.60

-12.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$7.33 BHD 2.76

19.51%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$5.50 BHD 2.07

-46.00%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.79 BHD 0.30

-12.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.39 BHD 0.15

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$7.89 BHD 2.97

-67.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$10.57 BHD 3.98

-64.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.21 BHD 0.46

77.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$1.33 BHD 0.50

36.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$2.34 BHD 0.88

-6.84%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$2.51 BHD 0.95

-10.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$8.96 BHD 3.38

123.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$7.88 BHD 2.97

-53.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$10.13 BHD 3.82

33.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$2.30 BHD 0.87

40.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$2.12 BHD 0.80

-22.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.69 BHD 0.64

37.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.22 BHD 0.46

69.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$0.88 BHD 0.33

76.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.03 BHD 0.39

41.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$1.50 BHD 0.57

-34.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.44 BHD 0.17

9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$6.66 BHD 2.51

-34.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$18.66 BHD 7.03

-0.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$3.47 BHD 1.31

-46.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$3.20 BHD 1.21

-17.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$4.70 BHD 1.77

-32.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$3.89 BHD 1.47

-73.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$26.40 BHD 9.95

-47.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$0.56 BHD 0.21

139.29%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$37.4K BHD 14.1K

-25.69%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$20.6K BHD 7,745

62.44%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$123 BHD 46.18

0.43%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$15.95 BHD 6.01

-13.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$38.25 BHD 14.42

-52.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$80.5 BHD 30.34

-24.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$10.76 BHD 4.05

-17.57%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$384 BHD 145

78.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$8,958 BHD 3,376

76.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$45.88 BHD 17.29

29.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$63.7 BHD 24.01

-45.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$84.2 BHD 31.73

36.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$66.4 BHD 25.03

26.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$655 BHD 247

-5.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$403 BHD 152

10.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$1,462 BHD 551

39.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$780 BHD 294

91.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$1,187 BHD 447

-58.40%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Sanad: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $655 in Sanad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sanad pays 140% 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 $52.0 in Sanad. Groceries flip the comparison at $291 vs $256, 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 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 140% lower in Sanad. 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: $621 in Phuket versus $655 in Sanad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $688 in Phuket versus $384 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 $46.00 versus $52.0 in Sanad. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,294 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 2% less than in Sanad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.