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: $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,378 in Shaab.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $2,332 in Shaab.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $3,286 in Shaab.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 9% 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

$4.55 ฿153

$9.90 KWD 3.07

-54.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$82.0 KWD 25.40

-43.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$9.16 KWD 2.84

-3.49%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 KWD 0.75

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 KWD 1.12

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$5.85 KWD 1.81

-47.69%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.69 KWD 0.21

5.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.38 KWD 0.12

5.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.63 KWD 0.50

38.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.23 KWD 0.38

47.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.73 KWD 0.54

30.06%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$2.01 KWD 0.62

11.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$5.09 KWD 1.58

283.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$6.39 KWD 1.98

-42.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$10.32 KWD 3.20

26.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$2.41 KWD 0.75

34.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.92 KWD 0.59

-15.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$1.79 KWD 0.55

32.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$1.49 KWD 0.46

36.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.22 KWD 0.38

25.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.32 KWD 0.41

13.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$1.61 KWD 0.50

-39.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.49 KWD 0.15

6.12%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.33 KWD 1.03

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 KWD 0.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$2.86 KWD 0.89

55.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.83 KWD 0.26

69.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$44.40 KWD 13.76

-73.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$3.25 KWD 1.01

-4.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$3.32 KWD 1.03

-68.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$16.46 KWD 5.10

-14.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$0.34 KWD 0.10

285.29%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$21.5K KWD 6,654

29.54%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$19.6K KWD 6,088

69.07%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$62.9 KWD 19.49

94.72%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$18.50 KWD 5.73

-26.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$26.11 KWD 8.09

-28.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$93.7 KWD 29.03

-35.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$47.12 KWD 14.60

-63.96%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$11.26 KWD 3.49

-19.45%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$408 KWD 126

73.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$6,576 KWD 2,038

140.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$42.81 KWD 13.27

36.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$42.43 KWD 13.15

-16.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$86.4 KWD 26.78

33.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$82.9 KWD 25.70

0.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$784 KWD 243

-20.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$621 KWD 192

-28.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$1,604 KWD 497

27.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$1,277 KWD 396

16.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$3,210 KWD 995

-84.43%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Shaab: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $784 in Shaab. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shaab pays 542% 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 $82.0 in Shaab. Groceries flip the comparison at $289 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 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 542% lower in Shaab. 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: $626 in Phuket versus $784 in Shaab. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $408 in Shaab. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Shaab pay roughly 62% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,250 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 10% less than in Shaab. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.