Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between El Kef and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in El Kef: $614 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $8,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

El Kef, Tunisia
Phuket, Thailand
El Kef
🇹🇳 Tunisia
$614
/mo nomad
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in El Kef 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 El Kef and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $614 per month in El Kef vs $1,278 in Phuket, rent included.

  • El Kef $614
  • Phuket $1,278

A couple spends around $964 per month in El Kef vs $2,216 in Phuket, rent included.

  • El Kef $964
  • Phuket $2,216

A family of three spends $1,315 per month in El Kef vs $3,154 in Phuket, rent included.

  • El Kef $1,315
  • Phuket $3,154

El Kef is about 52% cheaper than Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both El Kef and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – El Kef 55% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
El Kef
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.48 TND 16.52
$4.47 ฿151
22.60%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$13.42 TND 40.43
$32.41 ฿1,094
-58.59%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.61 TND 13.89
$8.81 ฿297
-47.67%
Cappuccino
$0.69 TND 2.06
$2.83 ฿95.5
-75.62%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.51 TND 1.54
$0.87 ฿29.43
-41.38%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.24 TND 0.72
$0.49 ฿16.67
-51.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.88 TND 2.66
$2.56 ฿86.4
-65.63%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.99 TND 3.00
$3.68 ฿124
-73.10%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
El Kef
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.46 TND 1.39
$1.66 ฿56.0
-72.29%
White Bread (500g)
$0.19 TND 0.58
$1.46 ฿49.35
-86.99%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.86 TND 5.59
$1.50 ฿50.6
24.00%
Eggs
$1.47 TND 4.44
$2.09 ฿70.5
-29.67%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.59 TND 43.95
$19.07 ฿644
-23.49%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.26 TND 18.87
$3.30 ฿111
89.70%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.12 TND 45.56
$10.91 ฿368
38.59%
Apples (1kg)
$1.67 TND 5.03
$2.93 ฿99.0
-43.00%
Banana (1kg)
$1.67 TND 5.02
$1.69 ฿57.1
-1.18%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.03 TND 3.10
$2.25 ฿75.8
-54.22%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.61 TND 1.85
$2.08 ฿70.1
-70.67%
Potato (1kg)
$0.41 TND 1.24
$1.51 ฿51.0
-72.85%
Onion (1kg)
$0.16 TND 0.47
$1.38 ฿46.56
-88.41%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.48 TND 1.46
$1.07 ฿35.99
-55.14%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.31 TND 0.94
$0.52 ฿17.52
-40.38%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.39 TND 10.22
$4.20 ฿142
-19.29%
Wine (Bottle)
$4.34 TND 13.06
$18.79 ฿634
-76.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.65 TND 1.95
$1.82 ฿61.5
-64.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.00 TND 3.00
$2.84 ฿95.9
-64.79%
🚌 Getting Around
El Kef
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.32 TND 0.98
$1.45 ฿49.03
-77.93%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$10.25 TND 30.89
$56.7 ฿1,913
-81.91%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.29 TND 0.87
$3.02 ฿102
-90.40%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.29 TND 0.87
$1.02 ฿34.36
-71.57%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.04 TND 12.16
$3.69 ฿125
9.49%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.77 TND 2.33
$1.47 ฿49.81
-47.62%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.6K TND 119.4K
$26.8K ฿904.3K
47.98%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.2K TND 112.0K
$26.7K ฿901.3K
39.33%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
El Kef
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$26.84 TND 80.9
$96.4 ฿3,254
-72.14%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.40 TND 31.34
$11.26 ฿380
-7.64%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$14.31 TND 43.10
$16.85 ฿569
-15.07%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
El Kef
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$27.31 TND 82.3
$67.2 ฿2,270
-59.38%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.59 TND 37.93
$10.73 ฿362
17.33%
Cinema Ticket
$3.35 TND 10.09
$7.50 ฿253
-55.33%
🧸 Childcare & Education
El Kef
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$61.1 TND 184
$476 ฿16.1K
-87.16%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,944 TND 5,857
$11.3K ฿380.4K
-82.74%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
El Kef
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$23.19 TND 69.9
$62.4 ฿2,106
-62.81%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$68.6 TND 207
$28.41 ฿959
141.46%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$40.51 TND 122
$94.3 ฿3,184
-57.04%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$76.5 TND 230
$85.8 ฿2,898
-10.84%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
El Kef
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$208 TND 626
$716 ฿24.2K
-70.97%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$158 TND 477
$491 ฿16.6K
-67.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$370 TND 1,116
$1,927 ฿65.1K
-80.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$270 TND 812
$1,431 ฿48.3K
-81.15%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$938 TND 2,825
$4,175 ฿141.0K
-77.54%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$619 TND 1,864
$3,045 ฿102.8K
-79.68%
💵 Salaries & Financials
El Kef
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$171 TND 514
$502 ฿17.0K
-66.00%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11
5.57
97.49%

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

Last update for El Kef: October 25, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
El Kef
$187
Phuket
$266 42.4% $79
Accommodation & Living
El Kef
$158
Phuket
$491 210% $332
Clothing & Footwear
El Kef
$94
Phuket
$122 29.7% $28
Eating Out
El Kef
$75
Phuket
$122 61.6% $46
Monthly Utilities & Internet
El Kef
$52
Phuket
$124 142% $73
Sport & Entertainment
El Kef
$34
Phuket
$82 142% $48
Getting Around
El Kef
$13
Phuket
$71 432% $57

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $208 in El Kef versus $716 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 in Phuket are about 2.9 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $13 in El Kef versus $32 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $187 vs $266 – making El Kef the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇳 El Kef
🇹🇭 Phuket
🕒 Local time
23:11 11:11 PM
05:11 5:11 AM
6 h ahead of El Kef
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
73,710
79,308
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to TND – Tunisian Dinar Converter

Tunisian Dinar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 3.01 TND (1 TND = 0.332 USD). 1 EUR = 3.35 TND (1 TND = 0.298 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • El Kef Phuket 9,460 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • El Kef
  • 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
El Kef vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is El Kef cheaper than Phuket?
Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 108%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $920 per month in El Kef and $1,917 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in El Kef, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $208 there versus $716 in Phuket.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 82% less in El Kef. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $61 per month in El Kef and $476 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in El Kef or in Phuket?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in El Kef, where all-in costs run around $614, than in Phuket at $1,278. In El Kef it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is El Kef or Phuket more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward El Kef – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, El Kef or Phuket?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with El Kef. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

El Kef vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?