Cost of Living Comparison Between Shinas and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Shinas and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $945 in Shinas versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,408 in Shinas versus $2,089 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,872 in Shinas versus $2,913 in Phuket.

Living in Shinas costs roughly 25% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shinas 31% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.18 OMR 2.00

$4.66 ฿153

11.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.11 OMR 13.13

$32.22 ฿1,060

5.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.88 OMR 3.03

$8.68 ฿286

-9.22%

Cappuccino

$4.81 OMR 1.85

$2.90 ฿95.4

65.86%

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

$0.91 OMR 0.35

$0.84 ฿27.78

8.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 OMR 0.10

$0.49 ฿16.10

-44.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.22 OMR 5.09

$2.48 ฿81.7

433.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.93 OMR 4.98

$3.73 ฿123

246.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 OMR 0.86

$1.89 ฿62.0

18.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 OMR 0.48

$1.41 ฿46.36

-11.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 OMR 0.71

$1.62 ฿53.4

14.20%

Eggs

$2.89 OMR 1.11

$2.24 ฿73.8

29.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.57 OMR 2.91

$19.84 ฿653

-61.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.56 OMR 2.53

$3.48 ฿114

88.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.60 OMR 4.08

$11.37 ฿374

-6.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.40 OMR 1.31

$2.90 ฿95.4

17.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 OMR 0.77

$1.72 ฿56.8

16.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.34 OMR 0.90

$2.27 ฿74.8

3.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

$2.13 ฿70.2

-40.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 OMR 0.46

$1.47 ฿48.53

-19.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 OMR 0.48

$1.42 ฿46.73

-12.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.86 OMR 0.71

$1.10 ฿36.11

69.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 OMR 0.24

$0.60 ฿19.68

5.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.54 OMR 2.52

$4.31 ฿142

51.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.36 OMR 5.92

$18.60 ฿612

-17.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.69 OMR 2.19

$1.80 ฿59.3

216.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.81 OMR 3.39

$2.97 ฿97.6

196.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿73.9

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿773

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.33 OMR 1.28

$3.10 ฿102

7.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.66 OMR 1.02

$1.08 ฿35.42

146.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.88 OMR 3.03

$3.87 ฿127

103.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 OMR 0.23

$1.43 ฿46.97

-58.04%

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

$25.2K OMR 9,699

$27.8K ฿914.4K

-9.33%

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

$22.3K OMR 8,594

$27.0K ฿888.0K

-17.28%

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

$169 OMR 65.1

$105 ฿3,449

61.33%

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

$31.37 OMR 12.08

$11.39 ฿375

175.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.5 OMR 27.14

$17.54 ฿577

302.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,788

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿377

Cinema Ticket

$10.22 OMR 3.93

$7.78 ฿256

31.36%

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

$286 OMR 110

$576 ฿19.0K

-50.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K OMR 4,050

$11.6K ฿381.2K

-9.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 OMR 21.95

$63.6 ฿2,094

-10.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.68 OMR 16.82

$29.10 ฿958

50.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.1 OMR 35.44

$96.2 ฿3,167

-4.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.0 OMR 37.34

$90.0 ฿2,962

7.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,067 OMR 1,181

$508 ฿16.7K

504.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.25

5.57

-5.75%

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

Last update for Shinas: September 8, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Shinas pays 504% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $34.00 in Shinas vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $284 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

Shinas vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shinas is cheaper overall, especially in Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 34% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 504% higher in Shinas, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $286 in Shinas 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 Shinas – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $945 in Shinas versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Shinas but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Shinas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Shinas 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, Shinas 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 Shinas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.