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: $2,027 in Saar versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,835 in Saar versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,643 in Saar versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Saar is roughly 62% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Saar is 52% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.58 BHD 3.99

$4.55 ฿153

132.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.34 BHD 12.57

$46.18 ฿1,554

-27.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 BHD 3.92

$8.84 ฿298

17.65%

Cappuccino

$5.89 BHD 2.22

$3.06 ฿103

92.48%

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

$0.91 BHD 0.34

$0.73 ฿24.42

24.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 BHD 0.17

$0.40 ฿13.40

12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.93 BHD 2.24

$2.43 ฿81.8

144.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.23 BHD 3.48

$3.78 ฿127

144.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 BHD 0.65

$2.26 ฿76.0

-23.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 BHD 0.50

$1.81 ฿60.9

-27.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.58 BHD 0.97

$2.25 ฿75.8

14.67%

Eggs

$2.69 BHD 1.02

$2.25 ฿75.6

19.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 BHD 5.06

$19.51 ฿656

-31.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.45 BHD 2.43

$3.65 ฿123

76.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.04 BHD 6.05

$13.05 ฿439

22.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.93 BHD 1.48

$3.23 ฿109

21.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.36 BHD 0.89

$1.62 ฿54.4

45.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.74 BHD 1.41

$2.38 ฿80.2

57.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.93 BHD 0.73

$2.03 ฿68.2

-4.93%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 BHD 0.24

$1.53 ฿51.6

-58.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.68 BHD 0.63

$1.50 ฿50.5

12.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.93

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.40

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

Wine (Bottle)

$26.25 BHD 9.90

$18.32 ฿616

43.29%

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)

$5.20 BHD 1.96

$3.11 ฿105

67.20%

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)

$132 BHD 49.67

$122 ฿4,120

7.64%

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

$13.59 ฿457

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.23 BHD 11.77

$18.70 ฿629

67.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$189 BHD 71.3

$60.5 ฿2,035

212.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$108 BHD 40.61

$16.98 ฿572

534.57%

Cinema Ticket

$21.00 BHD 7.92

$9.07 ฿305

131.53%

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

$551 BHD 208

$706 ฿23.8K

-21.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,879 BHD 2,970

$15.8K ฿531.8K

-50.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.9 BHD 35.01

$58.6 ฿1,970

58.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.73 BHD 14.98

$35.36 ฿1,190

12.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 BHD 39.26

$115 ฿3,885

-9.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 BHD 39.66

$83.7 ฿2,818

25.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,341 BHD 505

$626 ฿21.1K

114.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$917 BHD 346

$445 ฿15.0K

106.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,110 BHD 795

$2,040 ฿68.7K

3.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 BHD 449

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-20.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,188 BHD 825

$2,577 ฿86.7K

-15.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,377 BHD 896

$500 ฿16.8K

375.52%

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 Saar: July 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,341 in Saar and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saar pays 376% 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: $33.00 in Saar vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $289 per month, with Saar 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 Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Clothing & Footwear. The 62% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 376% 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: $1,341 in Saar versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $551 in Saar versus $706 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 $46.00 versus $33.00 in Saar. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,250 in Phuket versus $2,027 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 62% less than in Saar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.