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: $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,339 in Tabuk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $2,045 in Tabuk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $2,751 in Tabuk.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 6% less than in Tabuk, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Tabuk is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$8.45 SAR 31.71

-46.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$28.15 SAR 106

65.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$6.99 SAR 26.22

21.17%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.61 SAR 6.05

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 SAR 6.92

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$3.00 SAR 11.27

1.00%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.75 SAR 2.83

-8.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.26 SAR 0.97

42.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.92 SAR 7.19

13.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$0.52 SAR 1.94

265.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$2.79 SAR 10.47

-21.15%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$2.61 SAR 9.78

-14.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$12.21 SAR 45.81

63.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$6.71 SAR 25.19

-45.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$12.83 SAR 48.16

3.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$2.01 SAR 7.54

60.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.55 SAR 5.80

9.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.72 SAR 6.44

38.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$2.23 SAR 8.38

-6.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.71 SAR 6.42

-7.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$2.10 SAR 7.88

-29.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$1.93 SAR 7.22

-46.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.60 SAR 2.25

-13.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.70 SAR 10.13

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 SAR 6.65

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.50

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$7.54 SAR 28.28

-43.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$1.04 SAR 3.92

30.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$39.88 SAR 150

-71.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$2.73 SAR 10.24

15.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$1.90 SAR 7.14

-45.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$13.52 SAR 50.7

1.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$0.64 SAR 2.41

109.38%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$26.9K SAR 100.9K

2.95%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$22.7K SAR 85.4K

48.85%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$157 SAR 588

-21.19%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$36.59 SAR 137

-63.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$106 SAR 396

-82.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$86.4 SAR 324

-28.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$35.73 SAR 134

-51.72%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$25.29 SAR 94.9

-63.86%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$355 SAR 1,332

97.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$8,533 SAR 32.0K

86.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$59.9 SAR 225

-0.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$59.5 SAR 223

-41.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$79.6 SAR 299

44.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$82.0 SAR 308

2.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$343 SAR 1,286

80.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$359 SAR 1,349

20.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$800 SAR 3,004

157.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$741 SAR 2,782

103.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$2,204 SAR 8,269

65.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$1,339 SAR 5,025

96.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$1,742 SAR 6,538

-70.90%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Tabuk: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $343 in Tabuk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tabuk pays 244% 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 $28.00 in Tabuk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 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 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Tabuk earns 244% 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: $619 in Phuket versus $343 in Tabuk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $355 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 $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,339 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 6% less than in Tabuk. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.