Cost of Living Comparison Between Taif and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Taif and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $916 in Taif versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,470 in Taif versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,023 in Taif versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Taif costs roughly 27% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Taif 31% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.30 SAR 19.91

$4.55 ฿153

16.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.54 SAR 152

$46.18 ฿1,554

-12.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.80 SAR 25.53

$8.84 ฿298

-23.08%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 SAR 7.35

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 SAR 5.95

Cappuccino

$2.94 SAR 11.04

$3.06 ฿103

-3.92%

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

$0.77 SAR 2.91

$0.73 ฿24.42

5.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 SAR 1.06

$0.40 ฿13.40

-30.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 SAR 5.10

$2.26 ฿76.0

-39.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.28 SAR 1.05

$1.81 ฿60.9

-84.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.29 SAR 8.59

$2.25 ฿75.8

1.78%

Eggs

$2.58 SAR 9.70

$2.25 ฿75.6

14.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 SAR 27.28

$19.51 ฿656

-62.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.23 SAR 23.38

$3.65 ฿123

70.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.61 SAR 39.86

$13.05 ฿439

-18.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 SAR 8.57

$3.23 ฿109

-29.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 SAR 6.09

$1.62 ฿54.4

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 SAR 7.45

$2.38 ฿80.2

-16.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 SAR 6.88

$2.03 ฿68.2

-9.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 SAR 5.40

$1.53 ฿51.6

-5.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 SAR 6.07

$1.50 ฿50.5

8.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 SAR 3.48

$0.98 ฿32.93

-5.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 SAR 3.87

$0.52 ฿17.40

98.08%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.87 SAR 10.79

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 SAR 7.23

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 SAR 6.07

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.73 SAR 25.26

$4.44 ฿149

51.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.08

$1.41 ฿47.49

-22.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.58 SAR 149

$11.70 ฿394

238.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.62 SAR 9.85

$3.11 ฿105

-15.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 SAR 7.58

$1.04 ฿35.08

94.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.06 SAR 49.03

$14.11 ฿475

-7.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.37

$1.31 ฿44.13

-51.91%

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

$20.0K SAR 75.1K

$27.8K ฿936.0K

-28.15%

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

$20.6K SAR 77.2K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-38.09%

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

$75.3 SAR 283

$122 ฿4,120

-38.53%

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

$28.59 SAR 107

$13.59 ฿457

110.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.9 SAR 323

$18.70 ฿629

359.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.7 SAR 288

$60.5 ฿2,035

26.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.83 SAR 142

$16.98 ฿572

122.79%

Cinema Ticket

$17.16 SAR 64.4

$9.07 ฿305

89.20%

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

$263 SAR 986

$706 ฿23.8K

-62.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,622 SAR 21.1K

$15.8K ฿531.8K

-64.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.70 SAR 149

$58.6 ฿1,970

-32.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.96 SAR 158

$35.36 ฿1,190

18.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.7 SAR 292

$115 ฿3,885

-32.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.39 SAR 178

$83.7 ฿2,818

-43.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$215 SAR 808

$626 ฿21.1K

-65.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$172 SAR 644

$445 ฿15.0K

-61.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 SAR 1,642

$2,040 ฿68.7K

-78.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 SAR 1,302

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-76.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,332 SAR 8,755

$3,483 ฿117.2K

-33.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,352 SAR 5,076

$2,577 ฿86.7K

-47.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,814 SAR 6,812

$500 ฿16.8K

262.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.6

5.33

-13.70%

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

Last update for Taif: July 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $215 in Taif and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Taif pays 263% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $41.00 in Taif vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $182 vs $289 per month, with Taif 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

Taif vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Taif is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear. The 36% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 263% higher in Taif, 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: $215 in Taif versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $263 in Taif versus $706 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 58% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $916 in Taif versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Taif but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Taif the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Taif 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, Taif 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 Taif gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.