Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Umm Salal 'ali Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Umm Salal 'ali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $733 in Umm Salal 'ali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,224 in Umm Salal 'ali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $1,715 in Umm Salal 'ali.

Living in Phuket is roughly 72% more expensive than Umm Salal 'ali, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Umm Salal 'ali 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$6.72 QAR 24.45

-32.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$53.9 QAR 196

-13.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$6.96 QAR 25.34

21.70%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.67 QAR 42.47

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.83 QAR 39.44

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$5.18 QAR 18.84

-41.51%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.83 QAR 3.03

-16.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.30 QAR 1.11

23.33%

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

$2.04 QAR 7.43

6.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$1.56 QAR 5.70

21.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$2.12 QAR 7.72

3.77%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$2.55 QAR 9.29

-12.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$11.52 QAR 41.92

73.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$7.52 QAR 27.39

-51.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$10.37 QAR 37.73

27.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$2.00 QAR 7.29

61.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.56 QAR 5.69

8.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.50 QAR 5.47

59.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.44 QAR 5.24

44.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.00 QAR 3.65

59.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.08 QAR 3.94

37.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$1.32 QAR 4.82

-21.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.45 QAR 1.63

15.56%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$9.78 QAR 35.59

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 QAR 6.42

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 QAR 10.72

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$6.19 QAR 22.53

-31.34%

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

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$2.21 QAR 8.04

42.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$2.23 QAR 8.12

-53.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$13.98 QAR 50.9

-1.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$0.55 QAR 2.00

143.64%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$22.2K QAR 81.0K

24.39%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$20.7K QAR 75.4K

63.37%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$92.3 QAR 336

33.93%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$38.02 QAR 138

-64.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$86.6 QAR 315

-78.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$12.56 QAR 45.71

-27.23%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$785 QAR 2,858

-10.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$11.8K QAR 43.1K

34.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$62.5 QAR 227

-4.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$54.6 QAR 199

-35.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$101 QAR 368

14.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$91.1 QAR 332

-7.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.08

-12.34%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Umm Salal 'ali: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $54.0 in Umm Salal 'ali. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $206, with Umm Salal 'ali 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 Umm Salal 'ali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Umm Salal 'ali is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 72% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,892 in Phuket and $1,099 in Umm Salal 'ali 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.

Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $785 in Umm Salal 'ali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Umm Salal 'ali – a meal for two runs $54.0 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $733 in Umm Salal 'ali versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Umm Salal 'ali but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Umm Salal 'ali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Umm Salal 'ali 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 Umm Salal 'ali 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 Umm Salal 'ali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 72% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.