Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rabat and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Rabat: $921 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $4,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Rabat, Morocco
Phuket, Thailand
Rabat
🇲🇦 Morocco
$921
/mo nomad
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Rabat and in Phuket

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $921 in Rabat versus $1,278 in Phuket.

  • Rabat $921
  • Phuket $1,278

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,498 in Rabat versus $2,216 in Phuket.

  • Rabat $1,498
  • Phuket $2,216

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,074 in Rabat versus $3,154 in Phuket.

  • Rabat $2,074
  • Phuket $3,154

Living in Rabat costs roughly 28% less than in Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rabat 32% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Rabat
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.99 MAD 39.29
$4.47 ฿151
-10.74%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.46 MAD 408
$32.41 ฿1,094
27.92%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.96 MAD 68.6
$8.81 ฿297
-21.00%
Cappuccino
$1.94 MAD 19.07
$2.83 ฿95.5
-31.45%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53 MAD 5.26
$0.87 ฿29.43
-39.08%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 MAD 3.61
$0.49 ฿16.67
-24.49%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.19 MAD 51.1
$2.56 ฿86.4
102.73%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.14 MAD 30.93
$3.68 ฿124
-14.67%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Rabat
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.90 MAD 8.86
$1.66 ฿56.0
-45.78%
White Bread (500g)
$0.60 MAD 5.95
$1.46 ฿49.35
-58.90%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.92 MAD 18.88
$1.50 ฿50.6
28.00%
Eggs
$1.86 MAD 18.27
$2.09 ฿70.5
-11.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.16 MAD 110
$19.07 ฿644
-41.48%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.71 MAD 66.1
$3.30 ฿111
103.33%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.08 MAD 119
$10.91 ฿368
10.72%
Apples (1kg)
$1.55 MAD 15.29
$2.93 ฿99.0
-47.10%
Banana (1kg)
$1.43 MAD 14.10
$1.69 ฿57.1
-15.38%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.81 MAD 7.97
$2.25 ฿75.8
-64.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.82 MAD 8.12
$2.08 ฿70.1
-60.58%
Potato (1kg)
$0.72 MAD 7.07
$1.51 ฿51.0
-52.32%
Onion (1kg)
$0.75 MAD 7.37
$1.38 ฿46.56
-45.65%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.37 MAD 3.62
$1.07 ฿35.99
-65.42%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.63 MAD 6.23
$0.52 ฿17.52
21.15%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.06 MAD 40.01
$4.20 ฿142
-3.33%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.33 MAD 72.2
$18.79 ฿634
-60.99%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.56 MAD 25.24
$1.82 ฿61.5
40.66%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68 MAD 26.41
$2.84 ฿95.9
-5.63%
🚌 Getting Around
Rabat
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MAD 5.42
$1.45 ฿49.03
-62.07%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.62 MAD 252
$56.7 ฿1,913
-54.78%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.73 MAD 7.18
$3.02 ฿102
-75.83%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.77 MAD 7.61
$1.02 ฿34.36
-24.51%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.13 MAD 40.70
$3.69 ฿125
11.92%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.52 MAD 14.99
$1.47 ฿49.81
3.40%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.2K MAD 297.0K
$26.8K ฿904.3K
12.62%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.1K MAD 316.0K
$26.7K ฿901.3K
20.23%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rabat
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$35.47 MAD 349
$96.4 ฿3,254
-63.19%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.21 MAD 101
$11.26 ฿380
-9.33%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.51 MAD 330
$16.85 ฿569
98.87%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Rabat
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$27.87 MAD 274
$67.2 ฿2,270
-58.55%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.11 MAD 237
$10.73 ฿362
124.70%
Cinema Ticket
$5.94 MAD 58.5
$7.50 ฿253
-20.80%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Rabat
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$180 MAD 1,776
$476 ฿16.1K
-62.10%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,261 MAD 91.2K
$11.3K ฿380.4K
-17.78%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Rabat
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$46.83 MAD 461
$62.4 ฿2,106
-24.90%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.60 MAD 400
$28.41 ฿959
42.91%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.6 MAD 902
$94.3 ฿3,184
-2.88%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$66.0 MAD 650
$85.8 ฿2,898
-23.14%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Rabat
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$572 MAD 5,629
$716 ฿24.2K
-20.16%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$345 MAD 3,401
$491 ฿16.6K
-29.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$987 MAD 9,719
$1,927 ฿65.1K
-48.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$687 MAD 6,769
$1,431 ฿48.3K
-51.95%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,126 MAD 20.9K
$4,175 ฿141.0K
-49.08%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,214 MAD 12.0K
$3,045 ฿102.8K
-60.11%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Rabat
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$721 MAD 7,105
$502 ฿17.0K
43.64%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.55
5.57
-18.31%

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

Last update for Rabat: October 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Rabat
$345
Phuket
$491 42.1% $146
Groceries & Markets
Rabat
$203
Phuket
$266 31.4% $64
Eating Out
Rabat
$112
Phuket
$122 8.8% $9.8
Clothing & Footwear
Rabat
$110
Phuket
$122 10.6% $12
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rabat
$79
Phuket
$124 57.2% $45
Sport & Entertainment
Rabat
$40
Phuket
$82 107% $42
Getting Around
Rabat
$32
Phuket
$71 118% $38

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $572 in Rabat and $716 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rabat pays 44% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $41 in Rabat vs $32 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $203 vs $266, with Rabat cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇲🇦 Rabat
🇹🇭 Phuket
🕒 Local time
23:45 11:45 PM
06:45 6:45 AM
7 h ahead of Rabat
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
573,895 Capital
79,308
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to MAD – Moroccan Dirham Converter

Moroccan Dirham exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 9.85 MAD (1 MAD = 0.102 USD). 1 EUR = 10.96 MAD (100 MAD = 9.12 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Rabat Phuket 10,890 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Rabat
  • Phuket

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
Rabat vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Rabat cheaper than Phuket?
Rabat is about 28% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, leisure, and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Rabat or Phuket?
Average pay runs 44% higher in Rabat, 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 Rabat and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $572 in Rabat versus $716 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $180 in Rabat versus $476 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 Rabat and in Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 31% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $800 enough to cover costs in Rabat or in Phuket?
Both cities are expensive relative to $800. Rabat is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Is it better to live in Rabat or in Phuket?
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, Rabat or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Rabat and Phuket are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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