Cost of Living Comparison Between Sur and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Sur and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,142 in Sur versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,655 in Sur versus $2,089 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,168 in Sur versus $2,913 in Phuket.

Living in Sur costs roughly 10% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sur 17% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.81 OMR 1.47

$4.66 ฿153

-18.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.90 OMR 9.97

$32.22 ฿1,060

-19.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 OMR 3.01

$8.68 ฿286

-9.79%

Cappuccino

$4.97 OMR 1.91

$2.90 ฿95.4

71.38%

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

$0.75 OMR 0.29

$0.84 ฿27.78

-10.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 OMR 0.10

$0.49 ฿16.10

-44.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.88 OMR 4.96

$2.48 ฿81.7

419.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.09 OMR 5.04

$3.73 ฿123

250.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 OMR 0.61

$1.89 ฿62.0

-15.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 OMR 0.50

$1.41 ฿46.36

-8.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 OMR 0.66

$1.62 ฿53.4

4.94%

Eggs

$2.00 OMR 0.77

$2.24 ฿73.8

-10.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.68 OMR 2.96

$19.84 ฿653

-61.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.63 OMR 2.55

$3.48 ฿114

90.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.19 OMR 3.54

$11.37 ฿374

-19.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 OMR 0.89

$2.90 ฿95.4

-20.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

$1.72 ฿56.8

-26.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 OMR 0.41

$2.27 ฿74.8

-53.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 OMR 0.29

$2.13 ฿70.2

-65.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 OMR 0.31

$1.47 ฿48.53

-45.58%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 OMR 0.19

$1.42 ฿46.73

-64.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 OMR 0.58

$1.10 ฿36.11

38.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 OMR 0.19

$0.60 ฿19.68

-16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.30 OMR 2.43

$4.31 ฿142

46.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.73 OMR 6.06

$18.60 ฿612

-15.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.66 OMR 2.18

$1.80 ฿59.3

214.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.73 OMR 3.36

$2.97 ฿97.6

193.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿73.9

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿773

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 OMR 1.23

$3.10 ฿102

2.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.66 OMR 1.02

$1.08 ฿35.42

146.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.01 OMR 3.08

$3.87 ฿127

106.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 OMR 0.22

$1.43 ฿46.97

-59.44%

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

$25.3K OMR 9,753

$27.8K ฿914.4K

-8.83%

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

$22.6K OMR 8,693

$27.0K ฿888.0K

-16.33%

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

$78.9 OMR 30.39

$105 ฿3,449

-24.68%

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

$23.85 OMR 9.18

$11.39 ฿375

109.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.3 OMR 27.06

$17.54 ฿577

300.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.5 OMR 33.30

$54.3 ฿1,788

59.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿377

Cinema Ticket

$10.25 OMR 3.94

$7.78 ฿256

31.75%

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

$292 OMR 112

$576 ฿19.0K

-49.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,501 OMR 2,503

$11.6K ฿381.2K

-43.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 OMR 21.38

$63.6 ฿2,094

-12.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.74 OMR 16.46

$29.10 ฿958

46.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.0 OMR 35.05

$96.2 ฿3,167

-5.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.9 OMR 36.54

$90.0 ฿2,962

5.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$262 OMR 101

$733 ฿24.1K

-64.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$268 OMR 103

$501 ฿16.5K

-46.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 OMR 183

$2,126 ฿70.0K

-77.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 OMR 149

$1,252 ฿41.2K

-69.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$568 OMR 219

$3,534 ฿116.3K

-83.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$520 OMR 200

$2,622 ฿86.3K

-80.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,671 OMR 1,028

$508 ฿16.7K

426.29%

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 Sur: September 8, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $262 in Sur and $733 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sur pays 426% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $26.00 in Sur vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $247 vs $275 per month, with Sur 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

Sur vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sur is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Getting Around. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 426% higher in Sur, 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: $262 in Sur versus $733 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $292 in Sur 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 Sur – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,142 in Sur versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sur but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Sur the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Sur 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, Sur 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 Sur gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.