Cost of Living Comparison Between Ben Arous and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Ben Arous and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $700 per month in Ben Arous vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,113 per month in Ben Arous vs $2,054 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,525 per month in Ben Arous vs $2,876 in Phuket, rent included.

Ben Arous is about 43% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ben Arous and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Ben Arous 49% lower, Phuket 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.47 TND 15.85

$4.41 ฿147

24.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.21 TND 58.6

$32.26 ฿1,077

-37.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.18 TND 15.02

$8.93 ฿298

-41.99%

Cappuccino

$1.15 TND 3.34

$2.90 ฿96.6

-60.34%

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

$0.63 TND 1.82

$0.88 ฿29.38

-28.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 TND 0.75

$0.48 ฿16.06

-45.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 TND 5.07

$2.35 ฿78.5

-25.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 TND 5.98

$3.72 ฿124

-44.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.52 TND 1.50

$1.87 ฿62.3

-72.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.10 TND 0.29

$1.47 ฿48.94

-93.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 TND 5.11

$1.55 ฿51.8

13.55%

Eggs

$1.47 TND 4.26

$2.10 ฿70.1

-30.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.69 TND 31.01

$19.59 ฿654

-45.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.14 TND 17.82

$3.42 ฿114

79.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.17 TND 46.90

$11.38 ฿380

42.09%

Apples (1kg)

$1.70 TND 4.92

$2.98 ฿99.6

-42.95%

Banana (1kg)

$4.67 TND 13.56

$1.68 ฿56.2

177.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.99 TND 2.87

$2.21 ฿73.7

-55.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.72 TND 2.10

$2.16 ฿72.1

-66.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 TND 2.05

$1.52 ฿50.9

-53.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 TND 1.96

$1.34 ฿44.67

-49.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.49 TND 1.43

$1.13 ฿37.67

-56.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 TND 0.96

$0.55 ฿18.24

-40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.66 TND 10.62

$4.26 ฿142

-14.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.96 TND 20.18

$19.09 ฿637

-63.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 TND 2.77

$1.78 ฿59.4

-46.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.21 TND 3.52

$2.78 ฿92.9

-56.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 TND 1.06

$2.23 ฿74.4

-83.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.53 TND 39.25

$22.74 ฿759

-40.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.30 TND 0.86

$3.03 ฿101

-90.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 TND 0.97

$1.02 ฿34.15

-67.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 TND 5.26

$3.89 ฿130

-53.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 TND 2.56

$1.49 ฿49.77

-40.94%

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

$40.6K TND 117.6K

$26.6K ฿887.3K

52.57%

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

$23.5K TND 68.3K

$27.0K ฿902.2K

-12.88%

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

$55.9 TND 162

$102 ฿3,420

-45.48%

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

$10.43 TND 30.27

$11.33 ฿378

-7.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.74 TND 60.2

$17.40 ฿581

19.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.68 TND 97.7

$52.1 ฿1,738

-35.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.05 TND 49.46

$11.07 ฿370

54.02%

Cinema Ticket

$5.10 TND 14.79

$7.69 ฿257

-33.68%

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

$63.4 TND 184

$561 ฿18.7K

-88.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,979 TND 5,741

$11.5K ฿384.1K

-82.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.55 TND 138

$63.0 ฿2,104

-24.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.5 TND 190

$29.52 ฿986

121.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.1 TND 258

$98.0 ฿3,272

-9.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.99 TND 136

$88.5 ฿2,954

-46.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$218 TND 634

$738 ฿24.6K

-70.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$157 TND 456

$482 ฿16.1K

-67.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$382 TND 1,108

$2,107 ฿70.3K

-81.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$277 TND 804

$1,226 ฿40.9K

-77.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$950 TND 2,754

$3,617 ฿120.7K

-73.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$419 TND 1,215

$2,603 ฿86.9K

-83.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$255 TND 740

$494 ฿16.5K

-48.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.28

5.57

84.56%

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

Last update for Ben Arous: September 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $218 in Ben Arous versus $738 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 93% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Ben Arous versus $32.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $205 vs $274 – making Ben Arous the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Ben Arous vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $700 in Ben Arous, $1,232 in Phuket – roughly 76% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,050 per month in Ben Arous and $1,847 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ben Arous, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Ben Arous and $32.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $700 in Ben Arous and $1,232 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ben Arous, where all-in costs run around $700, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Ben Arous it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $700 in Ben Arous to $1,232 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ben Arous. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.