😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $586 in Ain Defla.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $941 in Ain Defla.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $1,297 in Ain Defla.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 110% more expensive than Ain Defla, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket8% lower, Ain Defla56% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Ain Defla
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63฿151
$2.00DZD 265
131.50%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84฿1,532
$23.96DZD 3,175
95.49%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿289
$2.29DZD 304
286.03%
Cappuccino
$3.00฿98.0
$0.25DZD 33.19
1100.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74฿24.25
$0.41DZD 54.0
80.49%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.95
$0.23DZD 30.51
60.87%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.44฿79.8
$2.00DZD 265
22.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61฿118
$2.33DZD 308
54.94%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Ain Defla
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿73.9
$1.05DZD 139
115.24%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84฿60.1
$0.13DZD 17.05
1315.38%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.24฿73.4
$1.81DZD 239
23.76%
Eggs
$2.32฿75.7
$1.79DZD 238
29.61%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.67฿643
$5.94DZD 787
231.14%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿119
$5.24DZD 694
-30.34%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.10฿428
$16.06DZD 2,128
-18.43%
Apples(1kg)
$3.39฿111
$2.98DZD 395
13.76%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64฿53.7
$2.96DZD 393
-44.59%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿79.0
$1.70DZD 226
41.76%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿66.4
$0.82DZD 109
147.56%
Potato(1kg)
$1.56฿50.9
$0.61DZD 80.2
155.74%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿48.94
$0.50DZD 66.6
200.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02฿33.50
$0.73DZD 97.3
39.73%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.00
$0.28DZD 36.87
75.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45฿145
$2.74DZD 363
62.41%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.88฿617
$9.95DZD 1,319
89.75%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$1.31DZD 173
35.88%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75฿90.1
$2.14DZD 283
28.50%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Ain Defla
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.40฿45.81
$0.25DZD 33.33
460.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.48฿376
$17.09DZD 2,264
-32.83%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.12฿102
$0.65DZD 85.7
380.00%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00฿32.67
$0.37DZD 48.67
170.27%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.09฿461
$5.58DZD 740
152.51%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35฿44.19
$0.33DZD 44.14
309.09%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2K฿888.9K
$35.5KDZD 4.7M
-23.42%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$34.3KDZD 4.5M
-4.00%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Ain Defla
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125฿4,087
$40.67DZD 5,389
207.30%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿444
$9.65DZD 1,278
40.62%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52฿606
$13.68DZD 1,812
35.38%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Ain Defla
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.5฿2,010
$23.39DZD 3,099
162.85%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84฿551
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.19฿300
$6.35DZD 841
44.72%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Ain Defla
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$698฿22.8K
$50.5DZD 6,693
1282.36%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6K฿509.9K
$3,662DZD 485.3K
325.75%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Ain Defla
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8฿1,889
$36.39DZD 4,822
58.72%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24฿1,152
$45.42DZD 6,018
-22.41%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,699
$76.0DZD 10.1K
48.91%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4฿2,825
$76.3DZD 10.1K
13.18%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Ain Defla
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$616฿20.1K
$194DZD 25.6K
218.23%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446฿14.6K
$114DZD 15.1K
292.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,048฿67.0K
$270DZD 35.8K
657.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿48.8K
$180DZD 23.9K
727.02%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,779฿123.6K
$4,616DZD 611.6K
-18.15%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,649฿86.6K
$1,197DZD 158.5K
121.37%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Ain Defla
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$524฿17.1K
$447DZD 59.2K
17.29%
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: April 27, 2026
Last update for Ain Defla: April 28, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $194 in Ain Defla. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Phuket pays 17% 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 $292 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 110% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Ain Defla?
Phuket pays 17% 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: $616 in Phuket versus $194 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 $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $586 in Ain Defla – a 110% 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 $586 in Ain Defla versus $1,232 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 110% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.