Cost of Living Comparison Between El Kef and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between El Kef and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $537 per month in El Kef vs $1,261 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $861 per month in El Kef vs $2,286 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,185 per month in El Kef vs $3,310 in Phuket, rent included.

El Kef is about 57% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both El Kef and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – El Kef 60% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 TND 10.12

$4.56 ฿149

-23.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.58 TND 39.63

$46.63 ฿1,519

-70.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.30 TND 9.62

$8.47 ฿276

-61.04%

Cappuccino

$0.67 TND 1.94

$3.03 ฿98.6

-77.89%

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

$0.54 TND 1.56

$0.69 ฿22.45

-21.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 TND 0.73

$0.37 ฿11.92

-32.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.87 TND 2.53

$2.49 ฿81.0

-65.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 TND 3.06

$3.66 ฿119

-71.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.44 TND 1.29

$2.18 ฿71.0

-79.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.15 TND 0.45

$1.90 ฿62.0

-92.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 TND 4.40

$2.20 ฿71.6

-31.36%

Eggs

$1.56 TND 4.54

$2.22 ฿72.4

-29.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.18 TND 32.63

$19.99 ฿651

-44.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 TND 16.48

$3.66 ฿119

54.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.41 TND 39.12

$13.25 ฿432

1.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 TND 6.36

$3.23 ฿105

-32.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 TND 5.06

$1.70 ฿55.3

1.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 TND 3.05

$2.39 ฿78.0

-56.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.59 TND 1.71

$2.08 ฿67.7

-71.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.43 TND 1.25

$1.59 ฿51.8

-72.96%

Onion (1kg)

$0.18 TND 0.53

$1.48 ฿48.31

-87.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 TND 1.51

$1.03 ฿33.54

-49.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 TND 0.91

$0.52 ฿16.83

-40.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.48 TND 10.14

$4.25 ฿138

-18.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.47 TND 13.04

$18.79 ฿612

-76.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 TND 1.90

$1.76 ฿57.2

-63.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 TND 2.94

$2.76 ฿89.8

-63.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 TND 0.95

$1.36 ฿44.32

-76.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.36 TND 30.22

$11.36 ฿370

-8.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.30 TND 0.87

$3.14 ฿102

-90.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 TND 0.79

$1.04 ฿33.74

-74.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.34 TND 21.42

$13.77 ฿448

-46.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 TND 2.28

$1.34 ฿43.79

-41.79%

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

$35.8K TND 104.4K

$27.7K ฿901.4K

29.29%

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

$34.4K TND 100.3K

$33.9K ฿1.1M

1.49%

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

$27.33 TND 79.7

$124 ฿4,025

-77.89%

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

$9.33 TND 27.23

$13.52 ฿440

-30.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.20 TND 41.43

$18.69 ฿609

-24.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.45 TND 85.9

$61.8 ฿2,013

-52.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.95 TND 37.79

$17.25 ฿562

-24.93%

Cinema Ticket

$4.52 TND 13.18

$9.14 ฿298

-50.55%

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

$67.0 TND 196

$703 ฿22.9K

-90.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,456 TND 7,166

$15.9K ฿517.0K

-84.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.95 TND 69.9

$59.5 ฿1,937

-59.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.50 TND 127

$35.07 ฿1,142

24.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$40.41 TND 118

$115 ฿3,754

-64.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.0 TND 193

$84.1 ฿2,737

-21.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$196 TND 571

$619 ฿20.1K

-68.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$137 TND 399

$433 ฿14.1K

-68.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$371 TND 1,082

$2,062 ฿67.2K

-82.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$274 TND 800

$1,511 ฿49.2K

-81.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,079 TND 3,148

$3,646 ฿118.7K

-70.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$646 TND 1,883

$2,626 ฿85.5K

-75.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$172 TND 503

$507 ฿16.5K

-66.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.6

5.33

155.16%

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

Last update for El Kef: June 8, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $196 in El Kef versus $619 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 194% 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 $14.00 in El Kef versus $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $170 vs $293 – making El Kef 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

El Kef vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 135%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $805 per month in El Kef and $1,892 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 10% less in El Kef. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $67.0 per month in El Kef and $703 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in El Kef, where all-in costs run around $537, than in Phuket at $1,261. In El Kef it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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 El Kef. 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.