Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ben Arous Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ben Arous

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,264 per month in Phuket vs $647 in Ben Arous, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,256 per month in Phuket vs $1,063 in Ben Arous, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Phuket vs $1,479 in Ben Arous, rent included.

Phuket costs about 95% more than Ben Arous, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Ben Arous are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 5% lower, Ben Arous 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$3.47 TND 10.17

29.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$21.78 TND 63.9

109.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$4.21 TND 12.36

108.08%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$0.77 TND 2.26

285.71%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.65 TND 1.90

6.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.26 TND 0.75

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$1.48 TND 4.34

70.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$1.92 TND 5.62

95.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$0.49 TND 1.43

338.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$0.17 TND 0.51

970.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.62 TND 4.74

34.57%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$1.58 TND 4.63

42.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$11.20 TND 32.86

78.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$6.31 TND 18.51

-42.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$14.92 TND 43.77

-9.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$2.09 TND 6.14

55.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$2.97 TND 8.72

-44.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.17 TND 3.44

99.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$0.71 TND 2.09

191.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$0.80 TND 2.35

93.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$0.76 TND 2.24

92.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$0.46 TND 1.36

113.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.32 TND 0.94

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$3.51 TND 10.30

23.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$6.58 TND 19.30

182.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$1.09 TND 3.21

70.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$1.26 TND 3.69

110.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.42 TND 1.24

238.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$13.33 TND 39.13

-13.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$0.30 TND 0.87

956.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$0.33 TND 0.98

212.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$3.43 TND 10.05

304.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$0.88 TND 2.57

52.27%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$40.6K TND 119.0K

-31.48%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$34.2K TND 100.4K

-2.47%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$48.99 TND 144

151.17%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$10.12 TND 29.69

36.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$20.98 TND 61.6

-12.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$32.65 TND 95.8

85.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$16.77 TND 49.21

2.33%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$4.96 TND 14.57

78.83%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$110 TND 321

528.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$2,449 TND 7,187

544.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$44.12 TND 129

34.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$44.03 TND 129

-21.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$97.7 TND 287

17.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$80.7 TND 237

3.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$185 TND 542

236.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$137 TND 403

224.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$369 TND 1,084

450.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$275 TND 808

443.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$933 TND 2,739

270.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$425 TND 1,248

495.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$257 TND 755

91.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

10.96

-51.37%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ben Arous: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $621 in Phuket versus $185 in Ben Arous. 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 92% 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $22.00 in Ben Arous. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $197 – making Ben Arous 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

Phuket vs Ben Arous: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,264 in Phuket, $647 in Ben Arous – roughly 95% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,896 per month in Phuket and $971 in Ben Arous. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket and $22.00 in Ben Arous. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,264 in Phuket and $647 in Ben Arous. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ben Arous, where all-in costs run around $647, than in Phuket at $1,264. In Ben Arous it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $647 in Ben Arous to $1,264 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Ben Arous. 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.