Cost of Living Comparison Between M'Sila and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between M'Sila and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $545 in M'Sila versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $842 in M'Sila versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,139 in M'Sila versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in M'Sila costs roughly 57% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: M'Sila 59% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 DZD 259

$4.56 ฿149

-57.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.26 DZD 2,552

$46.63 ฿1,519

-58.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.87 DZD 513

$8.47 ฿276

-54.31%

Cappuccino

$0.41 DZD 54.1

$3.03 ฿98.6

-86.47%

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

$0.52 DZD 68.4

$0.69 ฿22.45

-24.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 DZD 27.56

$0.37 ฿11.92

-43.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.91 DZD 253

$2.49 ฿81.0

-23.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 DZD 308

$3.66 ฿119

-36.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 DZD 110

$2.18 ฿71.0

-61.93%

White Bread (500g)

$0.13 DZD 17.48

$1.90 ฿62.0

-93.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 DZD 196

$2.20 ฿71.6

-32.73%

Eggs

$1.48 DZD 196

$2.22 ฿72.4

-33.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.17 DZD 420

$19.99 ฿651

-84.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.49 DZD 728

$3.66 ฿119

50.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.25 DZD 1,225

$13.25 ฿432

-30.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 DZD 421

$3.23 ฿105

-1.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.74 DZD 364

$1.70 ฿55.3

61.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 DZD 228

$2.39 ฿78.0

-28.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.54 DZD 71.5

$2.08 ฿67.7

-74.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 DZD 64.8

$1.59 ฿51.8

-69.18%

Onion (1kg)

$0.31 DZD 41.15

$1.48 ฿48.31

-79.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.14 DZD 18.91

$1.03 ฿33.54

-86.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.30 DZD 40.17

$0.52 ฿16.83

-42.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.67 DZD 354

$4.25 ฿138

-37.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.78 DZD 899

$18.79 ฿612

-63.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 DZD 178

$1.76 ฿57.2

-23.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 DZD 275

$2.76 ฿89.8

-25.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 DZD 30.34

$1.36 ฿44.32

-83.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.59 DZD 2,331

$11.36 ฿370

54.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 DZD 93.5

$3.14 ฿102

-77.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 DZD 44.84

$1.04 ฿33.74

-67.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.46 DZD 723

$13.77 ฿448

-60.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.36 DZD 47.18

$1.34 ฿43.79

-73.13%

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

$36.0K DZD 4.8M

$27.7K ฿901.4K

29.89%

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

$33.5K DZD 4.4M

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-1.04%

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

$23.73 DZD 3,145

$124 ฿4,025

-80.80%

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

$7.84 DZD 1,039

$13.52 ฿440

-42.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.96 DZD 2,381

$18.69 ฿609

-3.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.01 DZD 3,049

$61.8 ฿2,013

-62.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$6.07 DZD 804

$9.14 ฿298

-33.59%

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

$92.8 DZD 12.3K

$703 ฿22.9K

-86.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,606 DZD 477.9K

$15.9K ฿517.0K

-77.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.32 DZD 4,814

$59.5 ฿1,937

-38.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.49 DZD 6,029

$35.07 ฿1,142

29.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.9 DZD 10.1K

$115 ฿3,754

-34.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 DZD 10.3K

$84.1 ฿2,737

-7.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$197 DZD 26.1K

$619 ฿20.1K

-68.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$117 DZD 15.5K

$433 ฿14.1K

-73.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$276 DZD 36.6K

$2,062 ฿67.2K

-86.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 DZD 24.0K

$1,511 ฿49.2K

-88.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,131 DZD 149.9K

$3,646 ฿118.7K

-68.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$649 DZD 86.0K

$2,626 ฿85.5K

-75.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$251 DZD 33.3K

$507 ฿16.5K

-50.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.42

5.33

1.69%

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

Last update for M'Sila: June 7, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $197 in M'Sila and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 102% 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: $19.00 in M'Sila vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $159 vs $293 per month, with M'Sila 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

M'Sila vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

M'Sila is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 132% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Phuket earns 102% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $197 in M'Sila versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in M'Sila runs roughly 55% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $92.8 in M'Sila versus $703 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $545 in M'Sila versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in M'Sila but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes M'Sila the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, M'Sila 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, M'Sila 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 M'Sila gentler on the wallet – expenses run 132% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.