Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and El Kef Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and El Kef

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $537 in El Kef, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Phuket vs $884 in El Kef, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,279 per month in Phuket vs $1,230 in El Kef, rent included.

Phuket costs about 129% more than El Kef, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and El Kef are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, El Kef 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$3.45 TND 9.96

34.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$13.48 TND 38.95

247.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$3.36 TND 9.72

163.10%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$0.70 TND 2.01

328.57%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.49 TND 1.41

51.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.23 TND 0.66

60.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$0.93 TND 2.69

162.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$1.04 TND 3.00

247.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$0.48 TND 1.40

370.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$0.17 TND 0.49

982.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.49 TND 4.30

50.34%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$1.53 TND 4.42

51.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$11.49 TND 33.22

71.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$5.69 TND 16.43

-35.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$13.37 TND 38.63

-2.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$2.15 TND 6.20

57.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.66 TND 4.79

-1.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.04 TND 3.00

131.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$0.64 TND 1.84

217.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$0.43 TND 1.23

262.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$0.18 TND 0.51

733.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$0.51 TND 1.48

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.29 TND 0.83

68.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$3.33 TND 9.61

33.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$4.40 TND 12.72

329.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$0.66 TND 1.90

169.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$0.95 TND 2.74

189.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$0.33 TND 0.95

324.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

$10.14 TND 29.31

13.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$0.32 TND 0.93

875.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$0.27 TND 0.77

270.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$7.28 TND 21.03

93.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$0.79 TND 2.28

70.89%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$35.8K TND 103.4K

-24.02%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$35.1K TND 101.3K

-6.09%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$26.80 TND 77.5

366.34%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$9.78 TND 28.28

38.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$14.03 TND 40.56

32.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$28.95 TND 83.7

112.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

$12.94 TND 37.39

30.14%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$4.60 TND 13.30

99.78%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$67.2 TND 194

938.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$2,471 TND 7,141

531.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$24.01 TND 69.4

140.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$43.38 TND 125

-18.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$40.31 TND 116

180.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$66.3 TND 192

30.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$194 TND 561

217.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$138 TND 398

224.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$378 TND 1,091

442.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$273 TND 788

446.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

$898 TND 2,596

320.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

$600 TND 1,735

341.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$175 TND 505

199.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

13.6

-60.81%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for El Kef: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $616 in Phuket versus $194 in El Kef. 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 200% 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 $47.00 in Phuket versus $13.00 in El Kef. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $171 – making El Kef 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 El Kef: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 129%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $806 in El Kef. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 13% less in El Kef. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $698 per month in Phuket and $67.2 in El Kef. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in El Kef, where all-in costs run around $537, than in Phuket at $1,232. In El Kef it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward El Kef – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 El Kef. 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.