Cost of Living Comparison Between Saar and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Saar and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,967 in Saar versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,729 in Saar versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,491 in Saar versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in Saar is roughly 57% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Saar is 43% above, Phuket is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.49 BHD 3.96

$4.56 ฿150

130.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.69 BHD 12.70

$32.62 ฿1,072

3.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.79 BHD 4.07

$8.90 ฿293

21.24%

Cappuccino

$5.77 BHD 2.18

$2.80 ฿92.2

106.07%

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

$1.65 BHD 0.62

$0.88 ฿28.93

87.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.00 BHD 0.38

$0.49 ฿16.08

104.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.92 BHD 2.23

$2.39 ฿78.5

147.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.32 BHD 3.51

$3.71 ฿122

151.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 BHD 0.66

$1.79 ฿58.7

-1.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 BHD 0.52

$1.44 ฿47.38

-4.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.73 BHD 1.03

$1.58 ฿52.1

72.78%

Eggs

$2.63 BHD 0.99

$2.13 ฿69.9

23.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.17 BHD 4.97

$19.92 ฿655

-33.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.58 BHD 2.48

$3.43 ฿113

91.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.66 BHD 5.90

$11.33 ฿372

38.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.89 BHD 1.47

$2.95 ฿96.9

31.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 BHD 0.89

$1.72 ฿56.6

37.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.76 BHD 1.42

$2.32 ฿76.4

62.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.04 BHD 0.77

$2.08 ฿68.4

-1.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 BHD 0.26

$1.47 ฿48.33

-53.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.69 BHD 0.64

$1.36 ฿44.64

24.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.12

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 BHD 0.31

$0.57 ฿18.89

45.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

Wine (Bottle)

$26.38 BHD 9.94

$18.42 ฿605

43.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿61.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 BHD 0.29

$2.22 ฿72.9

-64.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.44 BHD 2.05

$3.03 ฿99.6

79.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.31

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.57 BHD 0.21

$1.49 ฿49.04

-61.74%

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

$27.1K ฿891.7K

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

$27.5K ฿902.3K

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

$131 BHD 49.36

$103 ฿3,379

27.36%

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

$10.99 ฿361

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.63 BHD 11.93

$17.51 ฿576

80.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$160 BHD 60.5

$53.5 ฿1,760

199.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$104 BHD 39.26

$11.20 ฿368

829.91%

Cinema Ticket

$15.94 BHD 6.01

$7.48 ฿246

113.10%

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

$542 BHD 204

$557 ฿18.3K

-2.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,819 BHD 2,948

$11.9K ฿389.6K

-34.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.6 BHD 34.89

$64.1 ฿2,106

44.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.03 BHD 15.09

$29.07 ฿956

37.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 BHD 39.43

$96.0 ฿3,154

8.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 BHD 39.24

$90.3 ฿2,970

15.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,318 BHD 497

$730 ฿24.0K

80.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$938 BHD 353

$500 ฿16.4K

87.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,087 BHD 787

$2,090 ฿68.7K

-0.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,189 BHD 448

$1,209 ฿39.7K

-1.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,175 BHD 820

$2,512 ฿82.6K

-13.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,425 BHD 914

$503 ฿16.5K

381.82%

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 Saar: August 30, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,318 in Saar and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saar pays 382% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $34.00 in Saar vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $299 vs $273 per month, with Phuket 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

Saar vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 57% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 382% higher in Saar, 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: $1,318 in Saar versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $542 in Saar versus $557 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $34.00 in Saar. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,253 in Phuket versus $1,967 in Saar, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Saar. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Saar, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Saar 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in Saar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.