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: $2,002 in Saar versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,765 in Saar versus $2,089 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,527 in Saar versus $2,913 in Phuket.

Living in Saar is roughly 58% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Saar is 45% above, Phuket is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.80 BHD 4.07

$4.66 ฿155

131.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.08 BHD 12.47

$32.22 ฿1,070

2.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.71 BHD 4.04

$8.68 ฿288

23.39%

Cappuccino

$5.87 BHD 2.21

$2.90 ฿96.3

102.41%

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

$1.66 BHD 0.63

$0.84 ฿28.02

97.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 BHD 0.36

$0.49 ฿16.24

93.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.15 BHD 2.32

$2.48 ฿82.4

147.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.08 BHD 3.42

$3.73 ฿124

143.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 BHD 0.63

$1.89 ฿62.6

-11.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 BHD 0.51

$1.41 ฿46.76

-4.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.59 BHD 0.98

$1.62 ฿53.8

59.88%

Eggs

$2.70 BHD 1.02

$2.24 ฿74.4

20.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.20 BHD 4.98

$19.84 ฿659

-33.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 BHD 2.44

$3.48 ฿115

86.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.61 BHD 5.88

$11.37 ฿377

37.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.87 BHD 1.46

$2.90 ฿96.3

33.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.43 BHD 0.92

$1.72 ฿57.3

41.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.78 BHD 1.42

$2.27 ฿75.5

66.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 BHD 0.76

$2.13 ฿70.8

-4.69%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 BHD 0.24

$1.47 ฿48.96

-57.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 BHD 0.62

$1.42 ฿47.14

15.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.43

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 BHD 0.31

$0.60 ฿19.86

36.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿143

Wine (Bottle)

$26.93 BHD 10.15

$18.60 ฿618

44.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.5

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 BHD 0.30

$2.25 ฿74.6

-64.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿780

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 BHD 1.98

$3.10 ฿103

69.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.73

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿129

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 BHD 0.23

$1.43 ฿47.39

-57.34%

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

$27.8K ฿922.5K

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

$27.0K ฿895.9K

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

$132 BHD 49.72

$105 ฿3,479

25.88%

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

$11.39 ฿378

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.21 BHD 12.14

$17.54 ฿582

83.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$160 BHD 60.4

$54.3 ฿1,804

194.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$108 BHD 40.70

$11.44 ฿380

844.06%

Cinema Ticket

$15.75 BHD 5.94

$7.78 ฿258

102.44%

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

$558 BHD 210

$576 ฿19.1K

-3.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,065 BHD 3,040

$11.6K ฿384.5K

-30.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.8 BHD 34.59

$63.6 ฿2,113

44.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.30 BHD 15.19

$29.10 ฿966

38.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 BHD 40.25

$96.2 ฿3,195

10.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 BHD 40.72

$90.0 ฿2,988

20.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,334 BHD 503

$733 ฿24.3K

81.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$926 BHD 349

$501 ฿16.6K

84.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 BHD 795

$2,126 ฿70.6K

-0.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,216 BHD 458

$1,252 ฿41.6K

-2.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿117.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 BHD 839

$2,622 ฿87.1K

-15.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,391 BHD 901

$508 ฿16.9K

371.02%

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: September 8, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,334 in Saar and $733 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saar pays 371% 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 $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $275 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 58% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 371% 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: $1,334 in Saar versus $733 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $558 in Saar versus $576 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 $32.00 versus $33.00 in Saar. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,002 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 58% less than in Saar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.