🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,073 in Qabatiyah versus $1,265 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,751 in Qabatiyah versus $2,297 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,428 in Qabatiyah versus $3,329 in Phuket.
🙂Living in Qabatiyah costs roughly 15% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Qabatiyah20% lower, Phuket6% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Qabatiyah
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.42₪23.98
$4.70฿153
79.15%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.94₪122
$45.37฿1,482
-5.36%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.20₪26.19
$8.43฿275
9.13%
Cappuccino
$3.71₪10.55
$2.93฿95.6
26.62%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.71₪2.03
$0.69฿22.40
2.90%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.57₪1.64
$0.37฿11.99
54.05%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.51₪15.70
$2.41฿78.6
128.63%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.40₪15.37
$3.72฿122
45.16%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Qabatiyah
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.99₪5.65
$2.23฿72.9
-10.76%
White Bread(500g)
$0.54₪1.55
$1.83฿59.8
-70.49%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.74₪7.81
$2.17฿70.8
26.27%
Eggs
$2.62₪7.46
$2.21฿72.3
18.55%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$6.06₪17.27
$19.74฿645
-69.30%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.60₪18.80
$3.63฿119
81.82%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.53₪44.23
$13.53฿442
14.78%
Apples(1kg)
$2.35₪6.69
$3.28฿107
-28.35%
Banana(1kg)
$1.37₪3.90
$1.61฿52.6
-14.91%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.37₪3.90
$2.41฿78.6
-43.15%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.45₪4.13
$2.08฿68.1
-30.29%
Potato(1kg)
$1.08₪3.08
$1.53฿49.93
-29.41%
Onion(1kg)
$1.04₪2.97
$1.48฿48.36
-29.73%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.49₪4.24
$0.99฿32.29
50.51%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.80₪2.27
$0.51฿16.67
56.86%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.59₪21.61
$4.41฿144
72.11%
Wine(Bottle)
-
$19.38฿633
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.99₪8.50
$1.78฿58.1
67.98%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.56₪7.29
$2.71฿88.6
-5.54%
🚌 Getting Around
Qabatiyah
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.04₪2.95
$1.37฿44.79
-24.09%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$59.6₪170
$11.39฿372
423.09%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.87₪8.17
$3.02฿98.6
-4.97%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.32₪3.77
$0.99฿32.48
33.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.33₪40.80
$14.10฿461
1.63%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.91₪5.45
$1.36฿44.51
40.44%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.7K₪104.4K
$28.2K฿921.1K
29.96%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$44.7K₪127.3K
$32.9K฿1.1M
35.86%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Qabatiyah
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$83.0₪236
$122฿3,975
-31.84%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.01₪51.3
$13.57฿443
32.72%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$40.96₪117
$18.31฿598
123.70%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Qabatiyah
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$57.5₪164
$60.2฿1,967
-4.60%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.53₪81.2
$17.14฿560
66.45%
Cinema Ticket
$8.63₪24.56
$8.69฿284
-0.69%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Qabatiyah
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$205₪585
$693฿22.6K
-70.39%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,023₪11.5K
$15.7K฿512.3K
-74.35%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Qabatiyah
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$41.71₪119
$59.5฿1,944
-29.93%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.13₪123
$34.77฿1,136
24.04%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$55.6₪158
$115฿3,743
-51.45%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$42.33₪121
$83.3฿2,720
-49.18%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Qabatiyah
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$513₪1,459
$613฿20.0K
-16.41%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$279₪793
$437฿14.3K
-36.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,021₪2,907
$2,094฿68.4K
-51.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$696₪1,981
$1,509฿49.3K
-53.90%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,053₪5,847
$3,749฿122.5K
-45.23%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,393₪3,966
$2,616฿85.4K
-46.75%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Qabatiyah
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$691₪1,966
$508฿16.6K
35.90%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.6
5.33
117.64%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Qabatiyah: June 1, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $513 in Qabatiyah and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Qabatiyah pays 36% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $43.00 in Qabatiyah vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $218 vs $293 per month, with Qabatiyah 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
Qabatiyah vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Qabatiyah?
Qabatiyah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Qabatiyah or Phuket?
Qabatiyah pays 36% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Qabatiyah and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $513 in Qabatiyah versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $205 in Qabatiyah versus $693 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Qabatiyah and Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 34% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for Qabatiyah or Phuket?
At $1,073 in Qabatiyah versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Qabatiyah but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Qabatiyah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Qabatiyah or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Qabatiyah 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.
Which city is safer, Qabatiyah or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Qabatiyah and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Qabatiyah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.