🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $451 in El Faiyum versus $1,253 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $759 in El Faiyum versus $2,043 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,067 in El Faiyum versus $2,833 in Phuket.
🌍Living in El Faiyum costs roughly 64% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: El Faiyum67% lower, Phuket9% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
El Faiyum
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.43E£124
$4.56฿150
-46.71%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$13.87E£706
$32.62฿1,072
-57.48%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.95E£252
$8.90฿293
-44.38%
Cappuccino
$1.26E£64.1
$2.80฿92.2
-55.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.34E£17.35
$0.88฿28.93
-61.36%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.12E£6.33
$0.49฿16.08
-75.51%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.40E£71.3
$2.39฿78.5
-41.42%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.99E£152
$3.71฿122
-19.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
El Faiyum
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.72E£36.73
$1.79฿58.7
-59.78%
White Bread(500g)
$0.76E£38.78
$1.44฿47.38
-47.22%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.66E£33.83
$1.58฿52.1
-58.23%
Eggs
$1.21E£61.7
$2.13฿69.9
-43.19%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$2.99E£152
$19.92฿655
-84.99%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.40E£224
$3.43฿113
28.28%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.09E£412
$11.33฿372
-28.60%
Apples(1kg)
$1.57E£80.1
$2.95฿96.9
-46.78%
Banana(1kg)
$0.68E£34.59
$1.72฿56.6
-60.47%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.58E£29.43
$2.32฿76.4
-75.00%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.35E£18.05
$2.08฿68.4
-83.17%
Potato(1kg)
$0.25E£12.69
$1.47฿48.33
-82.99%
Onion(1kg)
$0.34E£17.05
$1.36฿44.64
-75.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.27E£13.73
$1.10฿36.12
-75.45%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.20E£10.15
$0.57฿18.89
-64.91%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.01E£102
$4.27฿140
-52.93%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.92E£301
$18.42฿605
-67.86%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.31E£66.7
$1.87฿61.5
-29.95%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.27E£116
$2.92฿96.0
-22.26%
🚌 Getting Around
El Faiyum
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.07E£3.48
$2.22฿72.9
-96.85%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$5.77E£293
$22.90฿753
-74.80%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.46E£23.37
$3.03฿99.6
-84.82%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.31E£15.81
$1.07฿35.31
-71.03%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$1.01E£51.6
$3.93฿129
-74.30%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.39E£19.97
$1.49฿49.04
-73.83%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.7KE£1.7M
$27.1K฿891.7K
20.56%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.7KE£1.5M
$27.5K฿902.3K
4.60%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
El Faiyum
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$14.37E£731
$103฿3,379
-86.02%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$7.43E£378
$10.99฿361
-32.39%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$13.93E£709
$17.51฿576
-20.45%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
El Faiyum
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$24.75E£1,259
$53.5฿1,760
-53.76%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.10E£1,277
$11.20฿368
124.11%
Cinema Ticket
$2.39E£121
$7.48฿246
-68.05%
🧸 Childcare & Education
El Faiyum
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$26.07E£1,327
$557฿18.3K
-95.32%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$896E£45.6K
$11.9K฿389.6K
-92.44%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
El Faiyum
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$33.13E£1,686
$64.1฿2,106
-48.29%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.20E£2,300
$29.07฿956
55.49%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$125E£6,339
$96.0฿3,154
29.84%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$46.90E£2,386
$90.3฿2,970
-48.09%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
El Faiyum
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$185E£9,388
$730฿24.0K
-74.73%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$84.6E£4,305
$500฿16.4K
-83.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$334E£17.0K
$2,090฿68.7K
-84.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$180E£9,164
$1,209฿39.7K
-85.11%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$419E£21.3K
$3,596฿118.2K
-88.36%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$210E£10.7K
$2,512฿82.6K
-91.64%
💵 Salaries & Financials
El Faiyum
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$71.2E£3,621
$503฿16.5K
-85.86%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6
5.57
7.72%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for El Faiyum: August 31, 2026
Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $185 in El Faiyum and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Phuket pays 607% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $14.00 in El Faiyum vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $121 vs $273 per month, with El Faiyum cheaper across the board.
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
El Faiyum vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than El Faiyum?
El Faiyum is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 178% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: El Faiyum or Phuket?
On paper, salaries run 607% lower in Phuket. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between El Faiyum and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $185 in El Faiyum versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in El Faiyum runs roughly 297% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $26.07 in El Faiyum versus $557 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in El Faiyum or in Phuket?
At $451 in El Faiyum versus $1,253 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in El Faiyum but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes El Faiyum the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is El Faiyum or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, El Faiyum 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, El Faiyum or Phuket?
Safety-wise, El Faiyum 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 El Faiyum gentler on the wallet – expenses run 178% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.