Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Taif Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Taif

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,253 in Phuket versus $1,136 in Taif.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,043 in Phuket versus $1,602 in Taif.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Phuket versus $2,067 in Taif.

Living in Phuket is roughly 10% more expensive than in Taif, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 9% lower, Taif 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

$4.57 SAR 17.14

-0.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.62 ฿1,073

$36.49 SAR 137

-10.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿293

$6.85 SAR 25.72

29.93%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 SAR 7.11

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 SAR 5.80

Cappuccino

$2.80 ฿92.2

$2.98 SAR 11.19

-6.04%

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

$0.88 ฿28.94

$0.63 SAR 2.36

39.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.08

$0.23 SAR 0.87

113.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿58.8

$1.49 SAR 5.61

20.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.40

$0.25 SAR 0.94

476.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.1

$2.28 SAR 8.55

-30.70%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$2.47 SAR 9.28

-13.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿655

$7.18 SAR 26.97

177.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿113

$6.35 SAR 23.84

-45.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿372

$10.65 SAR 40.01

6.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.0

$2.27 SAR 8.53

29.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.6

$1.81 SAR 6.79

-4.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿76.5

$1.75 SAR 6.57

32.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$1.81 SAR 6.79

14.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.34

$1.47 SAR 5.52

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿44.65

$1.72 SAR 6.46

-20.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.13

$0.81 SAR 3.04

35.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.89

$0.95 SAR 3.55

-40.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.70 SAR 10.14

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.57

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 SAR 5.34

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$6.50 SAR 24.39

-34.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿606

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿61.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿73.0

$1.08 SAR 4.04

105.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

$36.44 SAR 137

-37.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.6

$1.31 SAR 4.90

131.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.32

$2.73 SAR 10.24

-60.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

$13.45 SAR 50.5

-70.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.06

$0.59 SAR 2.21

152.54%

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

$27.1K ฿892.0K

$45.4K SAR 170.3K

-40.18%

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

$27.5K ฿902.6K

$18.8K SAR 70.4K

46.35%

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

$103 ฿3,380

$110 SAR 413

-6.60%

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

$10.99 ฿361

$27.31 SAR 103

-59.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿576

$87.3 SAR 328

-79.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,760

$118 SAR 444

-54.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

$30.41 SAR 114

-63.17%

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

$17.29 SAR 64.9

-56.74%

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

$557 ฿18.3K

$239 SAR 896

133.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿389.7K

$4,380 SAR 16.4K

170.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,107

$20.72 SAR 77.8

209.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿956

$59.3 SAR 223

-50.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,155

$97.1 SAR 365

-1.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,970

$46.27 SAR 174

95.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

$1,205 SAR 4,525

-39.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

$346 SAR 1,300

44.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.7K

$870 SAR 3,268

140.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.8K

$325 SAR 1,222

271.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

$2,389 SAR 8,970

50.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

$1,368 SAR 5,135

83.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.6K

$1,768 SAR 6,638

-71.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

3.6

54.72%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Last update for Taif: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $730 in Phuket and $1,205 in Taif. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Taif pays 251% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Phuket vs $36.00 in Taif. Groceries flip the comparison at $273 vs $182, with Taif 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 Taif: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Taif is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 251% lower in Taif. 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: $730 in Phuket versus $1,205 in Taif. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $557 in Phuket versus $239 in Taif. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 50% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,136 in Taif versus $1,253 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Taif but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Taif the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Taif is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Taif 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 Taif gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.