Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and El OuedCost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and El Oued
Monthly Cost of Living
😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $629 in El Oued.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $980 in El Oued.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $1,330 in El Oued.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 96% more expensive than El Oued, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket8% lower, El Oued53% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
El Oued
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63฿151
$2.85DZD 378
62.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84฿1,532
$19.19DZD 2,542
144.09%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿289
$4.44DZD 588
99.10%
Cappuccino
$3.00฿98.0
$1.25DZD 166
140.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74฿24.25
$0.60DZD 79.9
23.33%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.95
$0.23DZD 30.28
60.87%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.44฿79.8
$1.96DZD 260
24.49%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61฿118
$2.34DZD 310
54.27%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
El Oued
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿73.9
$0.99DZD 131
128.28%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84฿60.1
$0.15DZD 20.12
1126.67%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.24฿73.4
$1.62DZD 214
38.27%
Eggs
$2.32฿75.7
$1.85DZD 245
25.41%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.67฿643
$9.15DZD 1,213
114.97%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿119
$5.43DZD 720
-32.78%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.10฿428
$16.73DZD 2,217
-21.70%
Apples(1kg)
$3.39฿111
$3.20DZD 425
5.94%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64฿53.7
$2.92DZD 387
-43.84%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿79.0
$1.70DZD 225
41.76%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿66.4
$0.79DZD 104
156.96%
Potato(1kg)
$1.56฿50.9
$0.55DZD 72.6
183.64%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿48.94
$0.50DZD 65.7
200.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02฿33.50
$0.64DZD 84.8
59.38%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.00
$0.28DZD 36.58
75.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45฿145
$2.68DZD 355
66.04%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.88฿617
$6.22DZD 824
203.54%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$1.34DZD 177
32.84%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75฿90.1
$2.08DZD 276
32.21%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
El Oued
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.40฿45.81
$0.23DZD 30.42
508.70%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.48฿376
$17.70DZD 2,345
-35.14%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.12฿102
$0.71DZD 94.6
339.44%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00฿32.67
$0.37DZD 48.47
170.27%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.09฿461
$5.14DZD 681
174.12%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35฿44.19
$0.37DZD 48.36
264.86%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2K฿888.9K
$32.9KDZD 4.4M
-17.36%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$34.2KDZD 4.5M
-3.64%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
El Oued
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125฿4,087
$41.37DZD 5,482
202.10%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿444
$9.29DZD 1,230
46.07%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52฿606
$16.90DZD 2,239
9.59%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
El Oued
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.5฿2,010
$23.67DZD 3,136
159.74%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84฿551
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.19฿300
$5.54DZD 735
65.88%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
El Oued
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$698฿22.8K
$93.4DZD 12.4K
647.73%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6K฿509.9K
$3,556DZD 471.2K
338.49%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
El Oued
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8฿1,889
$36.57DZD 4,845
57.94%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24฿1,152
$45.28DZD 6,000
-22.17%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,699
$74.5DZD 9,869
51.87%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4฿2,825
$78.4DZD 10.4K
10.19%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
El Oued
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$616฿20.1K
$195DZD 25.8K
216.02%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446฿14.6K
$117DZD 15.5K
280.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,048฿67.0K
$269DZD 35.6K
662.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿48.8K
$181DZD 23.9K
726.56%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,779฿123.6K
$224DZD 29.7K
1583.37%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,649฿86.6K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
El Oued
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$524฿17.1K
$247DZD 32.7K
112.04%
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 El Oued: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $195 in El Oued. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Phuket pays 112% 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 $19.00 in El Oued for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $206 per month, with El Oued 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 El Oued: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Phuket and El Oued?
Phuket and El Oued differ by about 96% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $629 including rent). El Oued is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Phuket or El Oued?
Phuket pays 112% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Phuket and El Oued?
Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $195 in El Oued. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Phuket and El Oued?
Childcare runs $698 in Phuket versus $93.4 in El Oued. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 42% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $629 in El Oued versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in El Oued but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes El Oued the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Phuket and El Oued?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Phuket or El Oued safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Phuket and El Oued are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Phuket or El Oued?
Expats usually find El Oued gentler on the wallet – expenses run 96% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.