Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Shaab Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Shaab

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,378 in Shaab.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $2,321 in Shaab.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $3,263 in Shaab.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 8% less than in Shaab, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Shaab is 3% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$10.09 KWD 3.09

-53.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$81.4 KWD 24.97

-44.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$8.76 KWD 2.69

-3.77%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 KWD 0.77

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 KWD 1.10

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$5.86 KWD 1.80

-50.00%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.68 KWD 0.21

1.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.38 KWD 0.12

-2.63%

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

$1.61 KWD 0.49

38.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.24 KWD 0.38

47.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.73 KWD 0.53

25.43%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$2.09 KWD 0.64

5.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$5.17 KWD 1.58

281.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$6.59 KWD 2.02

-44.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$10.23 KWD 3.14

32.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.46 KWD 0.76

33.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.88 KWD 0.58

-14.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.79 KWD 0.55

34.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.50 KWD 0.46

38.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$1.24 KWD 0.38

23.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$1.26 KWD 0.39

17.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$1.61 KWD 0.49

-38.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.45 KWD 0.14

13.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.29 KWD 1.01

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 KWD 0.41

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$2.99 KWD 0.92

47.49%

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

$0.90 KWD 0.27

52.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$45.00 KWD 13.80

-74.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$3.30 KWD 1.01

-8.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$3.26 KWD 1.00

-69.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$16.30 KWD 5.00

-13.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$0.36 KWD 0.11

277.78%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$21.3K KWD 6,525

32.57%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$19.9K KWD 6,114

65.05%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$62.6 KWD 19.20

94.41%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$18.95 KWD 5.81

-28.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$25.89 KWD 7.94

-29.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$94.5 KWD 28.97

-36.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$45.50 KWD 13.95

-62.33%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$11.52 KWD 3.53

-24.57%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$407 KWD 125

70.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$6,485 KWD 1,989

141.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$42.61 KWD 13.07

39.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$42.28 KWD 12.97

-17.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$86.1 KWD 26.41

33.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$81.1 KWD 24.86

2.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$779 KWD 239

-21.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$605 KWD 185

-27.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$1,547 KWD 474

35.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$1,269 KWD 389

18.96%

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

$3,219 KWD 987

-84.21%

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 Shaab: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $779 in Shaab. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shaab pays 533% 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 $81.0 in Shaab. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $179, with Shaab 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 Shaab: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Shaab earns 533% 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 $779 in Shaab. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $407 in Shaab. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Shaab pay roughly 63% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,378 in Shaab, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Shaab. 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 Shaab, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Shaab 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 9% less than in Shaab. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.