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: $922 in Taif versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,467 in Taif versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,011 in Taif versus $3,329 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

$5.25 SAR 19.69

$4.70 ฿153

11.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.17 SAR 151

$45.37 ฿1,482

-11.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.71 SAR 25.18

$8.43 ฿275

-20.40%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.06 SAR 7.72

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 SAR 5.94

Cappuccino

$2.92 SAR 10.96

$2.93 ฿95.6

-0.34%

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

$0.72 SAR 2.70

$0.69 ฿22.40

4.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.97

$0.37 ฿11.99

-29.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 SAR 5.14

$2.23 ฿72.9

-38.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.26 SAR 0.96

$1.83 ฿59.8

-85.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 SAR 8.88

$2.17 ฿70.8

8.76%

Eggs

$2.56 SAR 9.61

$2.21 ฿72.3

15.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.38 SAR 27.70

$19.74 ฿645

-62.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.99 SAR 22.49

$3.63 ฿119

65.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 SAR 40.25

$13.53 ฿442

-20.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 SAR 8.55

$3.28 ฿107

-30.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

$1.61 ฿52.6

-1.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 SAR 7.59

$2.41 ฿78.6

-16.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.92 SAR 7.19

$2.08 ฿68.1

-7.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.48

$1.53 ฿49.93

-4.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 SAR 5.87

$1.48 ฿48.36

5.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 SAR 3.19

$0.99 ฿32.29

-14.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 SAR 3.65

$0.51 ฿16.67

90.20%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.88 SAR 10.81

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 SAR 7.20

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 SAR 6.14

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 SAR 24.56

$4.41 ฿144

48.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.07

$1.37 ฿44.79

-21.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.19 SAR 151

$11.39 ฿372

252.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.72 SAR 10.21

$3.02 ฿98.6

-9.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 SAR 7.67

$0.99 ฿32.48

106.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.18 SAR 49.45

$14.10 ฿461

-6.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.26

$1.36 ฿44.51

-55.88%

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

$19.7K SAR 74.0K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-30.07%

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

$20.0K SAR 75.0K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-39.26%

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

$73.2 SAR 275

$122 ฿3,975

-39.84%

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

$28.41 SAR 107

$13.57 ฿443

109.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.5 SAR 332

$18.31 ฿598

383.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.0 SAR 285

$60.2 ฿1,967

26.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.04 SAR 139

$17.14 ฿560

116.10%

Cinema Ticket

$17.58 SAR 66.0

$8.69 ฿284

102.30%

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

$264 SAR 991

$693 ฿22.6K

-61.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,548 SAR 20.8K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-64.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.85 SAR 146

$59.5 ฿1,944

-34.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.12 SAR 158

$34.77 ฿1,136

21.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 SAR 300

$115 ฿3,743

-30.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.88 SAR 176

$83.3 ฿2,720

-43.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$214 SAR 804

$613 ฿20.0K

-65.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 SAR 649

$437 ฿14.3K

-60.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 SAR 1,626

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-79.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$349 SAR 1,309

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-76.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,130 SAR 7,993

$3,749 ฿122.5K

-43.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,248 SAR 4,685

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-52.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,031 SAR 7,622

$508 ฿16.6K

299.69%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $214 in Taif and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Taif pays 300% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $40.00 in Taif vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $181 vs $293 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 37% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Taif pays 300% more on average, 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: $214 in Taif versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $264 in Taif versus $693 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 61% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $922 in Taif versus $1,265 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 37% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.