Cost of Living Comparison Between Sharm El Sheikh and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Sharm El Sheikh and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $487 in Sharm El Sheikh versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $743 in Sharm El Sheikh versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $999 in Sharm El Sheikh versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in Sharm El Sheikh costs roughly 61% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sharm El Sheikh 65% lower, Phuket 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.70 E£1,204

$32.62 ฿1,073

-27.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.85 E£246

$8.90 ฿293

-45.51%

Cappuccino

$2.30 E£117

$2.80 ฿92.2

-17.86%

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

$0.37 E£18.60

$0.88 ฿28.94

-57.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 E£29.25

$0.49 ฿16.08

18.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.83 E£195

$2.39 ฿78.5

60.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.00 E£254

$3.71 ฿122

34.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 E£45.92

$1.79 ฿58.8

-49.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.40

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.51 E£25.66

$1.58 ฿52.1

-67.72%

Eggs

$1.26 E£64.2

$2.13 ฿69.9

-40.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿655

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.97 E£202

$3.43 ฿113

15.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿372

Apples (1kg)

$1.58 E£80.3

$2.95 ฿97.0

-46.44%

Banana (1kg)

$0.47 E£23.90

$1.72 ฿56.6

-72.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.48 E£24.33

$2.32 ฿76.5

-79.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.31 E£15.75

$2.08 ฿68.4

-85.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.34

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿44.65

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.13

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.89

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 E£113

$4.27 ฿140

-47.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿606

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 E£79.1

$1.87 ฿61.5

-16.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.10 E£5.02

$2.22 ฿73.0

-95.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.32

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.48 E£24.21

$1.49 ฿49.06

-67.79%

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

$33.2K E£1.7M

$27.1K ฿892.0K

22.33%

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

$22.6K E£1.1M

$27.5K ฿902.6K

-17.84%

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

$103 ฿3,380

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

$11.50 E£584

$10.99 ฿361

4.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.58 E£1,451

$17.51 ฿576

63.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,760

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

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

$557 ฿18.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿389.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,107

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿956

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,155

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,970

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$364 E£18.5K

$730 ฿24.0K

-50.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$300 E£15.3K

$500 ฿16.4K

-39.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$630 E£32.0K

$2,090 ฿68.7K

-69.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$563 E£28.6K

$1,209 ฿39.8K

-53.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$971 E£49.3K

$3,596 ฿118.2K

-73.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$696 E£35.4K

$2,512 ฿82.6K

-72.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$158 E£8,002

$503 ฿16.6K

-68.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

26.5

5.57

375.76%

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

Last update for Sharm El Sheikh: August 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $364 in Sharm El Sheikh and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 219% 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: $24.00 in Sharm El Sheikh vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $58.0 vs $273 per month, with Sharm El Sheikh 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

Sharm El Sheikh vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sharm El Sheikh is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 157% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 219% lower in Phuket. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $364 in Sharm El Sheikh versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 371% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Sharm El Sheikh – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $33.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $487 in Sharm El Sheikh versus $1,253 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sharm El Sheikh but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Sharm El Sheikh the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Sharm El Sheikh 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, Sharm El Sheikh 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 Sharm El Sheikh gentler on the wallet – expenses run 157% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.