Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Umm Salal 'ali and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Umm Salal ’ali: $790 a month against $1,294 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $6,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Phuket outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Umm Salal 'ali, Qatar
Phuket, Thailand
Umm Salal 'ali
🇶🇦 Qatar
$790
/mo nomad
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,294
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Umm Salal 'ali and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Umm Salal 'ali and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $790 in Umm Salal ’ali versus $1,294 in Phuket.

  • Umm Salal 'ali $790
  • Phuket $1,294

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,348 in Umm Salal ’ali versus $2,204 in Phuket.

  • Umm Salal 'ali $1,348
  • Phuket $2,204

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,906 in Umm Salal ’ali versus $3,115 in Phuket.

  • Umm Salal 'ali $1,906
  • Phuket $3,115

Living in Umm Salal ’ali costs roughly 39% less than in Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities sit below the global median: Umm Salal ’ali 42% lower, Phuket 4% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Umm Salal 'ali
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.15 QAR 40.59
$4.39 ฿147
153.99%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$73.2 QAR 266
$32.31 ฿1,078
126.56%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.37 QAR 30.48
$8.70 ฿290
-3.79%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$12.34 QAR 44.91
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$13.65 QAR 49.69
-
-
Cappuccino
$5.94 QAR 21.62
$2.72 ฿90.9
118.38%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.01 QAR 3.67
$0.93 ฿31.06
8.60%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.46 QAR 1.69
$0.50 ฿16.67
-8.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.53 ฿84.5
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.63 ฿121
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Umm Salal 'ali
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.08 QAR 7.59
$1.74 ฿58.1
19.54%
White Bread (500g)
$1.43 QAR 5.21
$1.45 ฿48.42
-1.38%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.85 QAR 6.72
$1.50 ฿50.1
23.33%
Eggs
$3.42 QAR 12.45
$2.17 ฿72.5
57.60%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.17 QAR 40.66
$19.09 ฿637
-41.49%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.44 QAR 30.71
$3.40 ฿113
148.24%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.57 QAR 42.11
$10.90 ฿364
6.15%
Apples (1kg)
$2.25 QAR 8.20
$2.94 ฿98.2
-23.47%
Banana (1kg)
$1.83 QAR 6.66
$1.69 ฿56.5
8.28%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.61 QAR 5.88
$2.19 ฿73.2
-26.48%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.25 QAR 4.56
$2.12 ฿70.9
-41.04%
Potato (1kg)
$1.00 QAR 3.63
$1.46 ฿48.68
-31.51%
Onion (1kg)
$1.01 QAR 3.68
$1.37 ฿45.66
-26.28%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.39 QAR 5.07
$1.08 ฿35.91
28.70%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 QAR 1.85
$0.55 ฿18.21
-7.27%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$9.55 QAR 34.77
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.89 QAR 6.89
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 QAR 8.35
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.74 QAR 24.52
$4.43 ฿148
52.14%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$18.25 ฿609
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.77 ฿59.2
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.88 ฿96.2
-
🚌 Getting Around
Umm Salal 'ali
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.45 ฿48.32
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$54.9 ฿1,832
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.96 QAR 7.13
$1.51 ฿50.5
29.80%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.97 QAR 7.18
$0.78 ฿25.90
152.56%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.87 QAR 50.5
$3.84 ฿128
261.20%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.58 QAR 2.12
$1.49 ฿49.65
-61.07%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.1K QAR 87.8K
$26.9K ฿897.3K
-10.29%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.6K QAR 78.7K
$26.3K ฿879.4K
-17.97%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Umm Salal 'ali
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$91.0 QAR 331
$97.8 ฿3,265
-6.99%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$34.21 QAR 125
$11.29 ฿377
203.01%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$86.8 QAR 316
$17.19 ฿574
404.83%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Umm Salal 'ali
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$68.3 ฿2,281
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$10.92 ฿365
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.16 QAR 44.28
$7.43 ฿248
63.66%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Umm Salal 'ali
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$737 QAR 2,683
$530 ฿17.7K
38.97%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.8K QAR 61.1K
$18.8K ฿626.9K
-10.65%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Umm Salal 'ali
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$61.6 QAR 224
$61.7 ฿2,059
-0.19%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$48.39 QAR 176
$28.25 ฿943
71.29%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.4 QAR 362
$96.0 ฿3,204
3.57%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.9 QAR 305
$86.8 ฿2,898
-3.36%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Umm Salal 'ali
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$721 ฿24.1K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$509 ฿17.0K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,950 ฿65.1K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,397 ฿46.6K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$4,192 ฿139.9K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$3,298 ฿110.1K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Umm Salal 'ali
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$492 ฿16.4K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.92
5.57
6.28%

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

Last update for Umm Salal 'ali: November 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Umm Salal 'ali
$218
Phuket
$267 22.3% $49
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Umm Salal 'ali
$212
Phuket
$126 40.4% $86
Eating Out
Umm Salal 'ali
$191
Phuket
$120 37.6% $72
Clothing & Footwear
Umm Salal 'ali
$132
Phuket
$123 7% $9.2
Sport & Entertainment
Umm Salal 'ali
$24 *
Phuket
$83 242% $59
Getting Around
Umm Salal 'ali
$12 *
Phuket
$66 459% $54
Accommodation & Living
Umm Salal 'ali
- *
Phuket
$509

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $73 in Umm Salal ’ali vs $32 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $218 vs $267, with Umm Salal ’ali cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇶🇦 Umm Salal 'ali
🇹🇭 Phuket
🕒 Local time
02:18 2:18 AM
06:18 6:18 AM
4 h ahead of Umm Salal 'ali
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
33,909
79,308
💱 Currency
Qatari Riyal QAR ر.ق
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to QAR – Qatari Riyal Converter

Qatari Riyal exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 3.64 QAR (1 QAR = 0.275 USD). 1 EUR = 4.09 QAR (1 QAR = 0.245 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 33.38 THB (100 THB = 3 USD). 1 EUR = 37.47 THB (100 THB = 2.67 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Umm Salal 'ali Phuket 5,340 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Umm Salal 'ali
  • Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Salal 'ali vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Umm Salal ’ali cheaper than Phuket?
Umm Salal ’ali is about 39% cheaper overall, especially in leisure, transport, and groceries. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $1,185 in Umm Salal ’ali and $1,940 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 $737 in Umm Salal ’ali versus $530 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 Salal ’ali or in Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $32 versus $73 in Umm Salal ’ali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,200 a realistic budget for living in Umm Salal ’ali or in Phuket?
At $790 in Umm Salal ’ali versus $1,294 in Phuket, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Umm Salal ’ali but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Umm Salal ’ali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Umm Salal ’ali or in Phuket?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Which city is safer, Umm Salal ’ali or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Umm Salal ’ali and Phuket are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

Umm Salal 'ali vs other spots: cost of living compared

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