Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Tabuk Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Tabuk

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,318 in Tabuk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $2,034 in Tabuk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $2,750 in Tabuk.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 4% less than in Tabuk, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Tabuk 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$8.67 SAR 32.57

-48.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$28.15 SAR 106

61.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$7.27 SAR 27.32

20.50%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.61 SAR 6.06

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.96

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$2.98 SAR 11.20

-0.34%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.70 SAR 2.64

-1.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.26 SAR 0.96

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.90 SAR 7.13

13.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$0.53 SAR 1.98

243.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$2.72 SAR 10.23

-19.85%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$2.63 SAR 9.86

-14.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$12.22 SAR 45.90

63.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$6.55 SAR 24.59

-44.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$13.19 SAR 49.52

2.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$1.95 SAR 7.32

66.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.55 SAR 5.80

5.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.76 SAR 6.61

32.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$2.25 SAR 8.44

-8.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.69 SAR 6.36

-8.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.99 SAR 7.46

-26.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$1.99 SAR 7.47

-50.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.57 SAR 2.15

-15.79%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.77 SAR 10.40

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.42

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SAR 7.81

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$7.51 SAR 28.20

-42.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$1.10 SAR 4.13

29.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$40.35 SAR 152

-71.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$2.59 SAR 9.73

22.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$1.83 SAR 6.87

-43.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$13.17 SAR 49.47

5.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$0.66 SAR 2.48

103.03%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$26.1K SAR 98.1K

6.39%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$22.5K SAR 84.5K

48.29%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$157 SAR 589

-21.55%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$36.52 SAR 137

-62.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$106 SAR 399

-82.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$88.7 SAR 333

-31.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$35.57 SAR 134

-51.76%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$24.86 SAR 93.4

-64.32%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$350 SAR 1,314

96.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$8,426 SAR 31.6K

87.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$59.7 SAR 224

-0.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$61.0 SAR 229

-43.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$80.3 SAR 301

43.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$83.0 SAR 312

0.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$341 SAR 1,280

82.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$362 SAR 1,359

23.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$812 SAR 3,047

150.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$731 SAR 2,744

104.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$2,687 SAR 10.1K

28.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$1,398 SAR 5,248

81.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$1,726 SAR 6,482

-71.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

4.42

20.59%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Tabuk: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $341 in Tabuk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tabuk pays 250% 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 $28.00 in Tabuk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $216 per month, with Tabuk cheaper across the board.

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 Tabuk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 250% lower in Tabuk. 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 $341 in Tabuk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $688 in Phuket versus $350 in Tabuk. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Tabuk pay roughly 35% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,318 in Tabuk, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Tabuk. 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 Tabuk, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Tabuk 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 4% less than in Tabuk. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.