đMonthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $573 in Laghouat.
đEstimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $917 in Laghouat.
đMonthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $1,262 in Laghouat.
đLiving in Phuket is roughly 115% more expensive than Laghouat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
đBoth cities sit below the global median: Phuket8% lower, Laghouat57% lower.
Currency
đ˝ Eating Out
Phuket
Laghouat
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63฿151
$2.75DZDÂ 365
68.36%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84฿1,532
$20.90DZDÂ 2,769
124.11%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿289
$4.71DZDÂ 624
87.69%
Cappuccino
$3.00฿98.0
$1.07DZDÂ 142
180.37%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74฿24.25
$0.69DZDÂ 91.4
7.25%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.95
$0.17DZDÂ 21.97
117.65%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.44฿79.8
$1.90DZDÂ 251
28.42%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61฿118
$2.33DZDÂ 309
54.94%
đ Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Laghouat
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿73.9
$1.00DZDÂ 132
126.00%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84฿60.1
$0.33DZDÂ 43.47
457.58%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.24฿73.4
$2.48DZDÂ 329
-9.68%
Eggs
$2.32฿75.7
$1.91DZDÂ 253
21.47%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.67฿643
$3.78DZDÂ 501
420.37%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿119
$6.92DZDÂ 917
-47.25%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.10฿428
$16.94DZDÂ 2,244
-22.67%
Apples(1kg)
$3.39฿111
$4.36DZDÂ 578
-22.25%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64฿53.7
$3.80DZDÂ 504
-56.84%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿79.0
$1.73DZDÂ 229
39.31%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿66.4
$1.19DZDÂ 158
70.59%
Potato(1kg)
$1.56฿50.9
$0.64DZDÂ 85.3
143.75%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿48.94
$0.66DZDÂ 87.5
127.27%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02฿33.50
$0.68DZDÂ 89.7
50.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.00
$0.29DZDÂ 39.08
68.97%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45฿145
$2.37DZDÂ 314
87.76%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.88฿617
$7.07DZDÂ 937
167.04%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$1.34DZDÂ 178
32.84%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75฿90.1
$2.09DZDÂ 277
31.58%
đ Getting Around
Phuket
Laghouat
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.40฿45.81
$0.10DZDÂ 13.58
1300.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.48฿376
$17.75DZDÂ 2,352
-35.32%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.12฿102
$0.80DZDÂ 106
290.00%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00฿32.67
$0.28DZDÂ 36.78
257.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.09฿461
$6.16DZDÂ 817
128.73%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35฿44.19
$0.37DZDÂ 49.36
264.86%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2K฿888.9K
$29.8KDZDÂ 3.9M
-8.67%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$56.1KDZDÂ 7.4M
-41.32%
đ§ž Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Laghouat
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125฿4,087
$40.76DZDÂ 5,401
206.62%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿444
$9.16DZDÂ 1,213
48.14%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52฿606
$19.66DZDÂ 2,605
-5.80%
đ Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Laghouat
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.5฿2,010
$17.77DZDÂ 2,354
245.98%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84฿551
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.19฿300
$5.56DZDÂ 736
65.29%
𧸠Childcare & Education
Phuket
Laghouat
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$698฿22.8K
$95.3DZDÂ 12.6K
632.67%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6K฿509.9K
$3,636DZDÂ 481.8K
328.83%
đđ Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Laghouat
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8฿1,889
$28.40DZDÂ 3,763
103.38%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24฿1,152
$46.66DZDÂ 6,183
-24.47%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,699
$56.3DZDÂ 7,456
101.01%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4฿2,825
$71.2DZDÂ 9,435
21.30%
đ Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Laghouat
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$616฿20.1K
$126DZDÂ 16.8K
386.95%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446฿14.6K
$69.4DZDÂ 9,200
542.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,048฿67.0K
$178DZDÂ 23.6K
1047.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿48.8K
$117DZDÂ 15.4K
1180.78%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,779฿123.6K
$447DZDÂ 59.3K
744.89%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,649฿86.6K
$299DZDÂ 39.7K
784.41%
đľ Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Laghouat
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$524฿17.1K
$368DZDÂ 48.7K
42.53%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
5.42
-1.66%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input â minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Last update for Laghouat: April 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
đ A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $126 in Laghouat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
đ°Phuket pays 43% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
đDining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $21.00 in Laghouat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $220 per month, with Laghouat 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 Laghouat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Laghouat cheaper than Phuket?
Laghouat is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 115% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Laghouat?
Phuket pays 43% 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 Laghouat?
Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $126 in Laghouat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Phuket vs Laghouat?
All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $573 in Laghouat â a 115% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Laghouat runs roughly 55% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Laghouat?
At $573 in Laghouat versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Laghouat but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Laghouat the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Laghouat more family-friendly?
For families, Laghouat 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 Laghouat?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Laghouat 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 Laghouat gentler on the wallet â expenses run 115% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.