🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $716 in Umm As-summaq versus $1,265 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,378 in Umm As-summaq versus $2,297 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,039 in Umm As-summaq versus $3,329 in Phuket.
🙂Living in Umm As-summaq costs roughly 43% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Umm As-summaq47% lower, Phuket6% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Umm As-summaq
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.31JOD 4.47
$4.70฿153
34.26%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$49.60JOD 35.10
$45.37฿1,482
9.32%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.08JOD 3.59
$8.43฿275
-39.74%
Cappuccino
$3.99JOD 2.82
$2.93฿95.6
36.18%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.52JOD 0.37
$0.69฿22.40
-24.64%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.34JOD 0.24
$0.37฿11.99
-8.11%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.80JOD 4.11
$2.41฿78.6
140.66%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.22JOD 5.11
$3.72฿122
94.09%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Umm As-summaq
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.24JOD 0.88
$2.23฿72.9
-44.39%
White Bread(500g)
$0.34JOD 0.24
$1.83฿59.8
-81.42%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.45JOD 1.02
$2.17฿70.8
-33.18%
Eggs
$2.45JOD 1.73
$2.21฿72.3
10.86%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$2.79JOD 1.97
$19.74฿645
-85.87%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.60JOD 4.67
$3.63฿119
81.82%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.20JOD 7.93
$13.53฿442
-17.22%
Apples(1kg)
$1.39JOD 0.98
$3.28฿107
-57.62%
Banana(1kg)
$0.74JOD 0.52
$1.61฿52.6
-54.04%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.38JOD 0.98
$2.41฿78.6
-42.74%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.27JOD 0.19
$2.08฿68.1
-87.02%
Potato(1kg)
$0.33JOD 0.24
$1.53฿49.93
-78.43%
Onion(1kg)
$0.27JOD 0.19
$1.48฿48.36
-81.76%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.66JOD 0.47
$0.99฿32.29
-33.33%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.59JOD 0.41
$0.51฿16.67
15.69%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.62JOD 2.56
$4.41฿144
-17.91%
Wine(Bottle)
$16.82JOD 11.90
$19.38฿633
-13.21%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$4.88JOD 3.45
$1.78฿58.1
174.16%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.48JOD 3.88
$2.71฿88.6
102.21%
🚌 Getting Around
Umm As-summaq
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.69JOD 0.49
$1.37฿44.79
-49.64%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.39฿372
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.74JOD 0.53
$3.02฿98.6
-75.50%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.29JOD 0.21
$0.99฿32.48
-70.71%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$6.95JOD 4.92
$14.10฿461
-50.71%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.38JOD 0.98
$1.36฿44.51
1.47%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.7KJOD 18.9K
$28.2K฿921.1K
-5.43%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.3KJOD 22.8K
$32.9K฿1.1M
-1.94%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Umm As-summaq
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$105JOD 74.5
$122฿3,975
-13.49%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.95JOD 11.99
$13.57฿443
24.91%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.11JOD 22.73
$18.31฿598
75.37%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Umm As-summaq
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$41.42JOD 29.31
$60.2฿1,967
-31.22%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$34.88JOD 24.69
$17.14฿560
103.50%
Cinema Ticket
$11.25JOD 7.96
$8.69฿284
29.46%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Umm As-summaq
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$272JOD 193
$693฿22.6K
-60.72%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,407JOD 3,826
$15.7K฿512.3K
-65.53%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Umm As-summaq
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$61.8JOD 43.71
$59.5฿1,944
3.76%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.8JOD 39.48
$34.77฿1,136
60.45%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115JOD 81.1
$115฿3,743
-0.05%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$81.9JOD 57.9
$83.3฿2,720
-1.69%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Umm As-summaq
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$379JOD 269
$613฿20.0K
-38.11%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$437฿14.3K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$460JOD 325
$2,094฿68.4K
-78.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$354JOD 251
$1,509฿49.3K
-76.52%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,707JOD 1,208
$3,749฿122.5K
-54.47%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,616฿85.4K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Umm As-summaq
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$851JOD 602
$508฿16.6K
67.45%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.67
5.33
25.14%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Umm As-summaq: May 31, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $379 in Umm As-summaq and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Umm As-summaq pays 67% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $50.0 in Umm As-summaq vs $45.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $205 vs $293, with Umm As-summaq cheaper for home cooking.
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
Umm As-summaq vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Umm As-summaq?
Umm As-summaq is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 77% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Umm As-summaq or Phuket?
Umm As-summaq pays 67% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Umm As-summaq and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $379 in Umm As-summaq versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $272 in Umm As-summaq versus $693 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Umm As-summaq or Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Umm As-summaq – a meal for two runs $50.0 versus $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for Umm As-summaq or Phuket?
At $716 in Umm As-summaq versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Umm As-summaq but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Umm As-summaq the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Umm As-summaq or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Umm As-summaq 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.
Which city is safer, Umm As-summaq or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Umm As-summaq 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Umm As-summaq gentler on the wallet – expenses run 77% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Umm As-summaq vs other spots: cost of living compared