Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Tubli

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,294 a month against $1,596 in Tubli, rent and utilities included – about $3,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Tubli, Bahrain
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,294
/mo nomad
Tubli
🇧🇭 Bahrain
$1,596
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Tubli

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Tubli actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,294 in Phuket versus $1,596 in Tubli.

  • Phuket $1,294
  • Tubli $1,596

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,204 in Phuket versus $2,537 in Tubli.

  • Phuket $2,204
  • Tubli $2,537

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,115 in Phuket versus $3,477 in Tubli.

  • Phuket $3,115
  • Tubli $3,477

Living in Phuket costs roughly 19% less than in Tubli, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 4% below, Tubli is 18% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Tubli
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.39 ฿148
$5.40 BHD 2.04
-18.70%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.31 ฿1,089
$52.8 BHD 19.92
-38.83%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.70 ฿293
$7.33 BHD 2.76
18.69%
Cappuccino
$2.72 ฿91.8
$2.64 BHD 0.99
3.03%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.93 ฿31.35
$0.82 BHD 0.31
13.41%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.50 ฿16.83
$0.28 BHD 0.11
78.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.53 ฿85.3
$6.61 BHD 2.49
-61.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63 ฿122
$9.83 BHD 3.71
-63.07%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Tubli
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.74 ฿58.6
$1.44 BHD 0.54
20.83%
White Bread (500g)
$1.45 ฿48.89
$1.08 BHD 0.41
34.26%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.6
$2.26 BHD 0.85
-33.63%
Eggs
$2.17 ฿73.2
$2.30 BHD 0.87
-5.65%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.09 ฿643
$8.42 BHD 3.17
126.72%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.40 ฿115
$6.37 BHD 2.40
-46.62%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.90 ฿367
$8.60 BHD 3.24
26.74%
Apples (1kg)
$2.94 ฿99.1
$2.30 BHD 0.87
27.83%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿57.0
$2.24 BHD 0.84
-24.55%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.19 ฿73.9
$1.93 BHD 0.73
13.47%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 ฿71.6
$1.44 BHD 0.54
47.22%
Potato (1kg)
$1.46 ฿49.15
$1.00 BHD 0.38
46.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.37 ฿46.10
$1.42 BHD 0.54
-3.52%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 ฿36.26
$1.55 BHD 0.58
-30.32%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 ฿18.38
$0.82 BHD 0.31
-32.93%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.43 ฿149
$5.38 BHD 2.03
-17.66%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.25 ฿615
$18.56 BHD 7.00
-1.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 ฿59.7
$3.50 BHD 1.32
-49.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 ฿97.1
$2.58 BHD 0.97
11.63%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Tubli
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿48.78
$1.56 BHD 0.59
-7.05%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.9 ฿1,850
$52.4 BHD 19.75
4.83%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.51 ฿51.0
$5.33 BHD 2.01
-71.67%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.78 ฿26.14
$3.55 BHD 1.34
-78.03%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.84 ฿129
$15.76 BHD 5.94
-75.63%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.49 ฿50.1
$0.66 BHD 0.25
125.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.9K ฿905.9K
$26.1K BHD 9,853
2.88%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.3K ฿887.8K
$20.0K BHD 7,559
31.43%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Tubli
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$97.8 ฿3,296
$91.2 BHD 34.39
7.26%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.29 ฿381
$24.02 BHD 9.06
-53.00%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.19 ฿579
$35.41 BHD 13.35
-51.45%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Tubli
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$68.3 ฿2,303
$156 BHD 59.0
-56.29%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.92 ฿368
$199 BHD 75.1
-94.51%
Cinema Ticket
$7.43 ฿250
$10.67 BHD 4.02
-30.37%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Tubli
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$530 ฿17.9K
$624 BHD 235
-14.95%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.8K ฿632.9K
$3,987 BHD 1,503
371.10%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Tubli
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$61.7 ฿2,078
$51.7 BHD 19.49
19.35%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.25 ฿952
$58.7 BHD 22.12
-51.85%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.0 ฿3,235
$87.6 BHD 33.02
9.64%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.8 ฿2,926
$79.6 BHD 30.01
9.07%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Tubli
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$721 ฿24.3K
$993 BHD 375
-27.40%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$509 ฿17.1K
$660 BHD 249
-22.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,950 ฿65.7K
$1,588 BHD 599
22.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,397 ฿47.1K
$1,202 BHD 453
16.21%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,192 ฿141.3K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,298 ฿111.2K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Tubli
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$492 ฿16.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
6.21
-10.31%

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

Last update for Phuket: November 2, 2026

Last update for Tubli: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$509
Tubli
$660 29.6% $151
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$267
Tubli
$248 7.2% $19
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$126
Tubli
$151 19.3% $24
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$123
Tubli
$125 1.7% $2.1
Eating Out
Phuket
$120
Tubli
$154 28.8% $34
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$83
Tubli
$178 114% $94
Getting Around
Phuket
$66
Tubli
$82 23.6% $16

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $721 in Phuket and $993 in Tubli. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $53 in Tubli. Groceries flip the comparison at $267 vs $248, with Tubli cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇧🇭 Tubli
🕒 Local time
18:44 6:44 PM
14:44 2:44 PM
4 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
27,510
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Bahraini Dinar BHD .د.ب
Exchange rates and currency converter

BHD, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 33.7 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.73 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Bahraini Dinar exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 0.377 BHD (1 BHD = 2.65 USD). 1 EUR = 0.422 BHD (1 BHD = 2.37 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Tubli 5,440 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Tubli

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Tubli: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Tubli?
Phuket is about 19% cheaper overall, especially in leisure, eating out, and utilities. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $1,940 in Phuket and $2,394 in Tubli to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Tubli?
Rent for a central apartment: $721 in Phuket versus $993 in Tubli. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $530 in Phuket versus $624 in Tubli. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and in Tubli?
Shoppers in Tubli pay roughly 7% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Tubli?
At $1,294 in Phuket versus $1,596 in Tubli, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Tubli. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Phuket or in Tubli?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Tubli?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Tubli are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

Phuket vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?