Cost of Living Comparison Between Msaken and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Msaken and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $672 in Msaken versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,081 in Msaken versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,490 in Msaken versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in Msaken costs roughly 46% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Msaken 51% lower, Phuket 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.05 TND 14.59

$4.56 ฿150

10.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.27 TND 64.4

$32.62 ฿1,073

-31.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.08 TND 17.60

$8.90 ฿293

-31.69%

Cappuccino

$1.05 TND 3.03

$2.80 ฿92.2

-62.50%

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

$0.75 TND 2.18

$0.88 ฿28.94

-14.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 TND 1.11

$0.49 ฿16.08

-22.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 TND 4.89

$2.39 ฿78.5

-29.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 TND 7.93

$3.71 ฿122

-26.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.49 TND 1.41

$1.79 ฿58.8

-72.63%

White Bread (500g)

$0.33 TND 0.96

$1.44 ฿47.40

-77.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 TND 5.18

$1.58 ฿52.1

13.29%

Eggs

$1.67 TND 4.82

$2.13 ฿69.9

-21.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.31 TND 41.37

$19.92 ฿655

-28.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.06 TND 17.52

$3.43 ฿113

76.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.47 TND 41.86

$11.33 ฿372

27.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 TND 6.04

$2.95 ฿97.0

-29.15%

Banana (1kg)

$3.80 TND 10.98

$1.72 ฿56.6

120.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.11 TND 3.22

$2.32 ฿76.5

-52.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 TND 2.15

$2.08 ฿68.4

-64.42%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 TND 2.58

$1.47 ฿48.34

-39.46%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 TND 1.93

$1.36 ฿44.65

-50.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 TND 1.26

$1.10 ฿36.13

-60.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 TND 1.00

$0.57 ฿18.89

-40.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.88 TND 11.22

$4.27 ฿140

-9.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 TND 17.13

$18.42 ฿606

-67.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 TND 2.93

$1.87 ฿61.5

-45.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 TND 4.09

$2.92 ฿96.1

-51.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 TND 0.94

$2.22 ฿73.0

-85.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.14 TND 29.32

$22.90 ฿753

-55.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.33 TND 0.95

$3.03 ฿99.6

-89.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 TND 1.03

$1.07 ฿35.32

-66.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.10 TND 11.87

$3.93 ฿129

4.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 TND 2.41

$1.49 ฿49.06

-44.30%

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

$39.8K TND 115.2K

$27.1K ฿892.0K

46.82%

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

$37.7K TND 109.0K

$27.5K ฿902.6K

37.32%

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

$64.1 TND 185

$103 ฿3,380

-37.67%

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

$8.61 TND 24.91

$10.99 ฿361

-21.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.62 TND 59.6

$17.51 ฿576

17.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.63 TND 62.6

$53.5 ฿1,760

-59.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.42 TND 41.70

$11.20 ฿368

28.75%

Cinema Ticket

$6.36 TND 18.39

$7.48 ฿246

-14.97%

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

$101 TND 292

$557 ฿18.3K

-81.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,069 TND 8,875

$11.9K ฿389.7K

-74.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.35 TND 140

$64.1 ฿2,107

-24.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.6 TND 196

$29.07 ฿956

132.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 TND 351

$96.0 ฿3,155

26.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 TND 252

$90.3 ฿2,970

-3.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$111 TND 320

$730 ฿24.0K

-84.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$95.5 TND 276

$500 ฿16.4K

-80.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$203 TND 587

$2,090 ฿68.7K

-90.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 TND 452

$1,209 ฿39.8K

-87.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$985 TND 2,848

$3,596 ฿118.2K

-72.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$628 TND 1,817

$2,512 ฿82.6K

-75.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$247 TND 715

$503 ฿16.6K

-50.88%

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 Msaken: August 30, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $111 in Msaken and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 104% 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: $22.00 in Msaken vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $273 per month, with Msaken 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

Msaken vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Msaken is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 86% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 104% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $111 in Msaken versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Msaken runs roughly 126% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $101 in Msaken versus $557 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $672 in Msaken versus $1,253 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Msaken but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Msaken the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Msaken 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, Msaken 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 Msaken gentler on the wallet – expenses run 86% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.