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: $1,103 in Sur versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Sur versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,050 in Sur versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Sur costs roughly 12% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sur 17% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.95 OMR 1.52

$4.55 ฿153

-13.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.63 OMR 9.87

$46.18 ฿1,557

-44.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.76 OMR 2.99

$8.84 ฿298

-12.22%

Cappuccino

$4.82 OMR 1.85

$3.06 ฿103

57.52%

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

$0.72 OMR 0.28

$0.73 ฿24.46

-1.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 OMR 0.10

$0.40 ฿13.42

-32.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.51 OMR 4.82

$2.43 ฿82.0

414.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.86 OMR 4.56

$3.78 ฿127

213.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 OMR 0.61

$2.26 ฿76.2

-29.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 OMR 0.47

$1.81 ฿61.0

-32.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 OMR 0.64

$2.25 ฿76.0

-25.78%

Eggs

$2.00 OMR 0.77

$2.25 ฿75.7

-11.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.84 OMR 1.48

$19.51 ฿658

-80.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.91 OMR 1.89

$3.65 ฿123

34.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.60 OMR 3.31

$13.05 ฿440

-34.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.36 OMR 0.91

$3.23 ฿109

-26.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

$1.62 ฿54.5

-21.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 OMR 0.41

$2.38 ฿80.3

-55.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.81 OMR 0.31

$2.03 ฿68.3

-60.10%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 OMR 0.31

$1.53 ฿51.7

-46.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 OMR 0.19

$1.50 ฿50.6

-66.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 OMR 0.42

$0.98 ฿32.99

10.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 OMR 0.19

$0.52 ฿17.43

-1.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.23 OMR 2.40

$4.44 ฿150

40.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.90 OMR 6.12

$18.32 ฿618

-13.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.36 OMR 1.68

$1.86 ฿62.8

134.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.01 OMR 3.08

$2.68 ฿90.4

198.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.57

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 OMR 1.21

$3.11 ฿105

1.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 OMR 0.29

$1.04 ฿35.14

-26.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.25 OMR 3.95

$14.11 ฿476

-27.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.53 OMR 0.20

$1.31 ฿44.20

-59.54%

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

$22.5K OMR 8,655

$27.8K ฿937.7K

-19.16%

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

$21.8K OMR 8,409

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-34.23%

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

$79.0 OMR 30.40

$122 ฿4,127

-35.49%

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

$23.13 OMR 8.90

$13.59 ฿458

70.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.0 OMR 26.95

$18.70 ฿630

274.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$85.9 OMR 33.07

$60.5 ฿2,039

42.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$10.25 OMR 3.95

$9.07 ฿306

13.01%

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

$192 OMR 73.8

$706 ฿23.8K

-72.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,388 OMR 2,459

$15.8K ฿532.8K

-59.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 OMR 19.71

$58.6 ฿1,974

-12.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.04 OMR 15.03

$35.36 ฿1,192

10.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.4 OMR 30.18

$115 ฿3,892

-32.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.7 OMR 33.74

$83.7 ฿2,823

4.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$258 OMR 99.5

$626 ฿21.1K

-58.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 OMR 102

$445 ฿15.0K

-40.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$470 OMR 181

$2,040 ฿68.8K

-76.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$384 OMR 148

$1,492 ฿50.3K

-74.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$565 OMR 218

$3,483 ฿117.4K

-83.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$525 OMR 202

$2,577 ฿86.9K

-79.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,657 OMR 1,023

$500 ฿16.8K

431.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.15

5.33

-3.38%

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

Last update for Sur: July 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $258 in Sur and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sur pays 432% 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 $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $216 vs $289 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, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 432% 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: $258 in Sur versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $192 in Sur 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 Sur – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,103 in Sur versus $1,250 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 13% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.