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 $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $700 in Ben Arous, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $1,113 in Ben Arous, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $1,525 in Ben Arous, rent included.

Phuket costs about 76% more than Ben Arous, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Ben Arous are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 10% lower, Ben Arous 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$5.47 TND 15.85

-19.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$20.21 TND 58.6

59.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$5.18 TND 15.02

72.39%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$1.15 TND 3.34

152.17%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$0.63 TND 1.82

39.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.26 TND 0.75

84.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$1.75 TND 5.07

34.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$2.06 TND 5.98

80.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$0.52 TND 1.50

259.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$0.10 TND 0.29

1370.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.76 TND 5.11

-11.93%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$1.47 TND 4.26

42.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$10.69 TND 31.01

83.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$6.14 TND 17.82

-44.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$16.17 TND 46.90

-29.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$1.70 TND 4.92

75.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$4.67 TND 13.56

-64.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$0.99 TND 2.87

123.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$0.72 TND 2.10

200.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$0.71 TND 2.05

114.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$0.68 TND 1.96

97.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$0.49 TND 1.43

130.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.33 TND 0.96

66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$3.66 TND 10.62

16.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$6.96 TND 20.18

174.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$0.96 TND 2.77

85.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$1.21 TND 3.52

129.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$0.36 TND 1.06

519.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

$13.53 TND 39.25

68.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$0.30 TND 0.86

910.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$0.33 TND 0.97

209.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$1.81 TND 5.26

114.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$0.88 TND 2.56

69.32%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$40.6K TND 117.6K

-34.46%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$23.5K TND 68.3K

14.79%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$55.9 TND 162

83.41%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$10.43 TND 30.27

8.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$20.74 TND 60.2

-16.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$33.68 TND 97.7

54.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$17.05 TND 49.46

-35.07%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$5.10 TND 14.79

50.78%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$63.4 TND 184

784.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$1,979 TND 5,741

481.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$47.55 TND 138

32.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$65.5 TND 190

-54.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$89.1 TND 258

10.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$46.99 TND 136

88.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$218 TND 634

237.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$157 TND 456

206.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$382 TND 1,108

451.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$277 TND 804

342.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$950 TND 2,754

280.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$419 TND 1,215

521.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$255 TND 740

93.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

10.28

-45.82%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Ben Arous: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Phuket versus $218 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 93% 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $20.00 in Ben Arous. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $205 – 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: $1,232 in Phuket, $700 in Ben Arous – roughly 76% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $1,050 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 $32.00 in Phuket and $20.00 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 $1,232 in Phuket and $700 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 $700, than in Phuket at $1,232. 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 $700 in Ben Arous to $1,232 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.