Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Umm Salal Mohammed Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Umm Salal Mohammed

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $232 in Umm Salal Mohammed.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $386 in Umm Salal Mohammed.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $539 in Umm Salal Mohammed.

Living in Phuket is roughly 431% more expensive than in Umm Salal Mohammed, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Umm Salal Mohammed 83% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$2.23 QAR 8.13

-16.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$1.54 QAR 5.61

-4.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$2.69 QAR 9.79

-42.38%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$2.57 QAR 9.35

-18.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$8.16 QAR 29.69

140.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$5.00 QAR 18.19

-31.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$9.48 QAR 34.50

20.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$1.96 QAR 7.15

52.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.54 QAR 5.59

9.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$1.12 QAR 4.06

97.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$2.27 QAR 8.27

-4.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$0.80 QAR 2.90

90.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$1.63 QAR 5.92

-17.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$1.97 QAR 7.15

-42.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.39 QAR 1.44

41.03%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.54 QAR 45.66

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 QAR 5.32

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$5.73 QAR 20.87

-25.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$1.13 QAR 4.10

97.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

$32.79 QAR 119

-30.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$2.24 QAR 8.15

35.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$5.80 QAR 21.11

-32.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$0.60 QAR 2.18

148.33%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$20.6K QAR 74.8K

31.50%

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

$102 ฿3,420

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

$11.33 ฿378

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

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

$561 ฿18.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Umm Salal Mohammed: September 12, 2026

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 Mohammed: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Umm Salal Mohammed is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 431% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $348 in Umm Salal Mohammed 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 44% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

A monthly transit pass in Umm Salal Mohammed runs roughly 44% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $232 in Umm Salal Mohammed versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Umm Salal Mohammed but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Umm Salal Mohammed the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Umm Salal Mohammed 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 Mohammed 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 Mohammed gentler on the wallet – expenses run 431% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.