Cost of Living Comparison Between Umm Salal Mohammed and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Umm Salal Mohammed and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $226 in Umm Salal Mohammed versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $389 in Umm Salal Mohammed versus $2,255 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $552 in Umm Salal Mohammed versus $3,279 in Phuket.

Living in Umm Salal Mohammed costs roughly 82% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Umm Salal Mohammed 83% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,523

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿287

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿97.4

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

$0.74 ฿24.11

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.88

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿117

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 QAR 8.22

$2.26 ฿73.5

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 QAR 5.41

$1.84 ฿59.8

-19.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.64 QAR 9.62

$2.24 ฿73.0

17.86%

Eggs

$2.59 QAR 9.43

$2.32 ฿75.3

11.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.15 QAR 29.66

$19.67 ฿639

-58.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.02 QAR 18.29

$3.65 ฿119

37.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.46 QAR 34.43

$13.10 ฿426

-27.79%

Apples (1kg)

$1.94 QAR 7.05

$3.39 ฿110

-42.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 QAR 5.65

$1.64 ฿53.4

-5.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.08 QAR 3.92

$2.41 ฿78.5

-55.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.29 QAR 8.35

$2.03 ฿66.0

12.81%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 QAR 2.95

$1.56 ฿50.6

-48.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 QAR 5.94

$1.50 ฿48.66

8.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 QAR 6.93

$1.02 ฿33.30

87.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 QAR 1.55

$0.49 ฿15.91

-12.24%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.09 QAR 43.99

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 QAR 5.17

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.90 QAR 21.47

$4.45 ฿145

32.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿614

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿57.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿89.5

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 QAR 4.10

$1.40 ฿45.54

-19.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.88 QAR 120

$11.48 ฿373

186.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.17 QAR 7.89

$3.12 ฿101

-30.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.48

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.91 QAR 21.50

$14.09 ฿458

-58.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.56 QAR 2.03

$1.35 ฿43.93

-58.52%

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

$27.2K ฿883.7K

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

$21.0K QAR 76.4K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-36.25%

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

$125 ฿4,063

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

$13.57 ฿441

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿602

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿1,999

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿299

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

$698 ฿22.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿506.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,146

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,677

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,808

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿66.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿122.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Umm Salal Mohammed: April 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

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 Mohammed vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Umm Salal Mohammed is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 445% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $339 in Umm Salal Mohammed 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 54% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

A monthly transit pass in Umm Salal Mohammed runs roughly 186% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $226 in Umm Salal Mohammed versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Umm Salal Mohammed but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Umm Salal Mohammed the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Umm Salal Mohammed 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, Umm Salal Mohammed 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 Umm Salal Mohammed gentler on the wallet – expenses run 445% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.