Cost of Living Comparison Between Ruwi and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Ruwi and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $510 in Ruwi versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $774 in Ruwi versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,039 in Ruwi versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Ruwi costs roughly 59% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ruwi 62% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,554

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿298

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

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

$0.73 ฿24.42

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.40

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 OMR 0.78

$2.26 ฿76.0

-10.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 OMR 0.75

$1.81 ฿60.9

7.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 OMR 0.38

$2.25 ฿75.8

-56.44%

Eggs

$1.18 OMR 0.46

$2.25 ฿75.6

-47.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.05 OMR 0.79

$19.51 ฿656

-89.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.05 OMR 0.79

$3.65 ฿123

-43.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.07 OMR 1.95

$13.05 ฿439

-61.15%

Apples (1kg)

$0.99 OMR 0.38

$3.23 ฿109

-69.35%

Banana (1kg)

$0.98 OMR 0.38

$1.62 ฿54.4

-39.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$2.38 ฿80.2

-57.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.98 OMR 0.38

$2.03 ฿68.2

-51.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 OMR 0.39

$1.53 ฿51.6

-33.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$0.98 ฿32.93

4.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 OMR 0.38

$0.52 ฿17.40

90.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.08

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿475

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.13

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

$27.8K ฿936.0K

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

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

$122 ฿4,120

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

$25.58 OMR 9.85

$13.59 ฿457

88.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.5 OMR 30.22

$18.70 ฿629

319.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,035

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

Cinema Ticket

$9.03 OMR 3.48

$9.07 ฿305

-0.44%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K OMR 4,911

$15.8K ฿531.8K

-19.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,970

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,190

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,885

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,818

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 OMR 149

$626 ฿21.1K

-38.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$255 OMR 98.1

$445 ฿15.0K

-42.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$900 OMR 346

$2,040 ฿68.7K

-55.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$582 OMR 224

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-61.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,481 OMR 1,725

$500 ฿16.8K

796.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Ruwi: July 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $387 in Ruwi and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ruwi pays 796% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

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

Ruwi vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ruwi is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Eating Out, Getting Around, Clothing & Footwear. The 145% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 796% higher in Ruwi, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $387 in Ruwi versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 144% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $510 per month in Ruwi versus $1,250 in Phuket – a 145% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $510 in Ruwi versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ruwi but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Ruwi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ruwi 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, Ruwi 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.

Expats usually find Ruwi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 145% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.