😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $587 in Ain Defla.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $927 in Ain Defla.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $1,266 in Ain Defla.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 115% more expensive than Ain Defla, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket6% lower, Ain Defla56% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Ain Defla
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.56฿149
$1.98DZD 263
130.30%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.63฿1,519
$23.75DZD 3,148
96.34%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.47฿276
$2.39DZD 317
254.39%
Cappuccino
$3.03฿98.6
$0.25DZD 33.19
1112.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.45
$0.40DZD 53.3
72.50%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.92
$0.21DZD 27.82
76.19%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.49฿81.0
$1.92DZD 254
29.69%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66฿119
$2.33DZD 309
57.08%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Ain Defla
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.18฿71.0
$1.03DZD 137
111.65%
White Bread(500g)
$1.90฿62.0
$0.16DZD 21.23
1087.50%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.20฿71.6
$1.75DZD 231
25.71%
Eggs
$2.22฿72.4
$1.85DZD 246
20.00%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.99฿651
$5.99DZD 794
233.72%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.66฿119
$5.50DZD 729
-33.45%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.25฿432
$15.72DZD 2,083
-15.71%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23฿105
$2.92DZD 386
10.62%
Banana(1kg)
$1.70฿55.3
$2.90DZD 385
-41.38%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.39฿78.0
$1.65DZD 219
44.85%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿67.7
$0.87DZD 115
139.08%
Potato(1kg)
$1.59฿51.8
$0.64DZD 85.3
148.44%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.31
$0.47DZD 62.1
214.89%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03฿33.54
$0.68DZD 90.4
51.47%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52฿16.83
$0.28DZD 37.09
85.71%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.25฿138
$2.74DZD 363
55.11%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.79฿612
$10.10DZD 1,338
86.04%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76฿57.2
$1.30DZD 173
35.38%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76฿89.8
$2.14DZD 283
28.97%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Ain Defla
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.36฿44.32
$0.25DZD 33.34
444.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.36฿370
$17.69DZD 2,344
-35.78%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14฿102
$0.70DZD 92.3
348.57%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿33.74
$0.36DZD 47.93
188.89%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.77฿448
$5.51DZD 730
149.91%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.34฿43.79
$0.37DZD 48.60
262.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7K฿901.4K
$35.3KDZD 4.7M
-21.53%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.9K฿1.1M
$34.3KDZD 4.5M
-1.26%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Ain Defla
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$124฿4,025
$40.33DZD 5,345
206.45%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.52฿440
$9.48DZD 1,257
42.62%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.69฿609
$13.46DZD 1,784
38.86%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Ain Defla
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.8฿2,013
$23.43DZD 3,106
163.85%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.25฿562
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.14฿298
$6.24DZD 827
46.47%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Ain Defla
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$703฿22.9K
$49.51DZD 6,562
1319.21%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.9K฿517.0K
$3,601DZD 477.3K
340.73%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Ain Defla
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,937
$36.04DZD 4,777
64.98%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.07฿1,142
$45.64DZD 6,049
-23.16%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,754
$76.4DZD 10.1K
50.82%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.1฿2,737
$76.7DZD 10.2K
9.61%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Ain Defla
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$619฿20.1K
$196DZD 26.0K
214.95%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$433฿14.1K
$118DZD 15.6K
267.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,062฿67.2K
$269DZD 35.6K
667.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,511฿49.2K
$180DZD 23.9K
738.66%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,646฿118.7K
$1,112DZD 147.4K
227.80%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,626฿85.5K
$1,126DZD 149.2K
133.21%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Ain Defla
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$507฿16.5K
$445DZD 58.9K
14.02%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
5.42
-1.66%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026
Last update for Ain Defla: June 8, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $196 in Ain Defla. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Phuket pays 14% 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: $47.00 in Phuket vs $24.00 in Ain Defla for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $202 per month, with Ain Defla 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
Phuket vs Ain Defla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ain Defla cheaper than Phuket?
Ain Defla is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 115% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Ain Defla?
Phuket pays 14% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Ain Defla?
Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $196 in Ain Defla. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or Ain Defla?
Dining out is cheaper in Ain Defla – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
What are total monthly expenses in Phuket vs Ain Defla?
All in, you'll spend $1,261 per month in Phuket versus $587 in Ain Defla – a 115% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Ain Defla?
At $587 in Ain Defla versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ain Defla but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Ain Defla the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Ain Defla more family-friendly?
For families, Ain Defla 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, Phuket or Ain Defla?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Ain Defla 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 Ain Defla gentler on the wallet – expenses run 115% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.