🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $733 in Umm As-summaq versus $1,232 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,270 in Umm As-summaq versus $2,054 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,806 in Umm As-summaq versus $2,876 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Umm As-summaq costs roughly 40% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Umm As-summaq46% lower, Phuket10% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Umm As-summaq
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.17JOD 5.08
$4.41฿147
62.59%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$66.7JOD 47.20
$32.26฿1,077
106.63%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.14JOD 5.05
$8.93฿298
-20.04%
Cappuccino
$2.74JOD 1.94
$2.90฿96.6
-5.52%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.60JOD 0.43
$0.88฿29.38
-31.82%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.60JOD 0.42
$0.48฿16.06
25.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$6.88JOD 4.87
$2.35฿78.5
192.77%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$8.61JOD 6.10
$3.72฿124
131.45%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Umm As-summaq
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.44JOD 1.02
$1.87฿62.3
-22.99%
White Bread(500g)
$0.67JOD 0.48
$1.47฿48.94
-54.42%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.39JOD 0.98
$1.55฿51.8
-10.32%
Eggs
$2.24JOD 1.58
$2.10฿70.1
6.67%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.14JOD 6.47
$19.59฿654
-53.34%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$2.76JOD 1.96
$3.42฿114
-19.30%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.89JOD 9.13
$11.38฿380
13.27%
Apples(1kg)
$2.42JOD 1.72
$2.98฿99.6
-18.79%
Banana(1kg)
$2.00JOD 1.42
$1.68฿56.2
19.05%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.88JOD 1.33
$2.21฿73.7
-14.93%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.86JOD 0.61
$2.16฿72.1
-60.19%
Potato(1kg)
$0.93JOD 0.66
$1.52฿50.9
-38.82%
Onion(1kg)
$0.83JOD 0.59
$1.34฿44.67
-38.06%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.65JOD 0.46
$1.13฿37.67
-42.48%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.61JOD 0.43
$0.55฿18.24
10.91%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.87JOD 2.03
$4.26฿142
-32.63%
Wine(Bottle)
$16.79JOD 11.89
$19.09฿637
-12.05%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$4.15JOD 2.94
$1.78฿59.4
133.15%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.16JOD 2.95
$2.78฿92.9
49.64%
🚌 Getting Around
Umm As-summaq
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$2.23฿74.4
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$22.74฿759
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.61JOD 0.43
$3.03฿101
-79.87%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.43JOD 1.02
$1.02฿34.15
40.20%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.08JOD 5.01
$3.89฿130
82.01%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.61JOD 1.14
$1.49฿49.77
8.05%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.3KJOD 25.0K
$26.6K฿887.3K
32.67%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.2KJOD 24.2K
$27.0K฿902.2K
26.67%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Umm As-summaq
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$53.5JOD 37.90
$102฿3,420
-47.77%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.44JOD 10.93
$11.33฿378
36.28%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.25JOD 22.83
$17.40฿581
85.34%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Umm As-summaq
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$56.4JOD 39.96
$52.1฿1,738
8.37%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$49.88JOD 35.31
$11.07฿370
350.59%
Cinema Ticket
$11.49JOD 8.14
$7.69฿257
49.41%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Umm As-summaq
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$353JOD 250
$561฿18.7K
-37.11%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,679JOD 4,021
$11.5K฿384.1K
-50.64%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Umm As-summaq
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.1JOD 40.45
$63.0฿2,104
-9.34%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$63.7JOD 45.06
$29.52฿986
115.62%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$128JOD 90.3
$98.0฿3,272
30.14%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$87.3JOD 61.8
$88.5฿2,954
-1.41%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Umm As-summaq
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$738฿24.6K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$482฿16.1K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$787JOD 557
$2,107฿70.3K
-62.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$1,226฿40.9K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,707JOD 1,208
$3,617฿120.7K
-52.81%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,603฿86.9K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Umm As-summaq
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$494฿16.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.81
5.57
22.26%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Umm As-summaq: September 13, 2026
Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🛒Dining out: $67.0 in Umm As-summaq vs $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $229 vs $274, 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, Getting Around. The 68% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,100 in Umm As-summaq and $1,847 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $353 in Umm As-summaq versus $561 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 in Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Umm As-summaq – a meal for two runs $67.0 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Umm As-summaq or in Phuket?
At $733 in Umm As-summaq versus $1,232 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 68% 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