Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and M'Sila Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and M'Sila

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,270 in Phuket versus $536 in M'Sila.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,304 in Phuket versus $845 in M'Sila.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,339 in Phuket versus $1,154 in M'Sila.

Living in Phuket is roughly 137% more expensive than M'Sila, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, M'Sila 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿150

$1.91 DZD 252

143.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.44 ฿1,496

$19.57 DZD 2,590

137.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿280

$3.83 DZD 507

126.63%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ฿95.0

$0.41 DZD 53.9

619.51%

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

$0.70 ฿22.52

$0.56 DZD 74.4

25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿12.70

$0.16 DZD 21.57

143.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿81.6

$2.00 DZD 265

26.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿122

$2.40 DZD 318

57.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ฿71.5

$0.84 DZD 111

164.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 ฿57.8

$0.11 DZD 14.75

1536.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ฿70.4

$1.43 DZD 189

53.15%

Eggs

$2.31 ฿74.5

$1.45 DZD 192

59.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.34 ฿623

$3.10 DZD 411

523.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.77 ฿121

$5.46 DZD 723

-30.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.22 ฿426

$9.36 DZD 1,239

41.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 ฿107

$3.13 DZD 414

6.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.1

$2.79 DZD 369

-40.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 ฿73.7

$1.71 DZD 226

33.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.1

$0.58 DZD 77.1

243.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.24

$0.53 DZD 69.9

188.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 ฿48.77

$0.29 DZD 38.25

420.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.12

$0.13 DZD 17.26

692.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.57

$0.30 DZD 39.92

70.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿142

$2.73 DZD 361

61.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.41 ฿625

$7.08 DZD 937

174.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.0

$1.34 DZD 178

34.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿86.4

$2.11 DZD 279

27.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 ฿46.11

$0.23 DZD 30.35

521.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿377

$17.27 DZD 2,285

-32.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ฿97.9

$0.67 DZD 88.3

353.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.37

$0.36 DZD 47.72

188.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.68 ฿441

$5.40 DZD 715

153.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 ฿41.85

$0.35 DZD 46.79

271.43%

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

$27.9K ฿898.9K

$36.0K DZD 4.8M

-22.44%

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

$33.0K ฿1.1M

$33.8K DZD 4.5M

-2.15%

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

$123 ฿3,962

$24.52 DZD 3,245

401.51%

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

$13.82 ฿445

$7.69 DZD 1,017

79.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.86 ฿608

$17.91 DZD 2,370

5.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.2 ฿1,970

$23.35 DZD 3,090

161.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.81 ฿541

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿286

$6.34 DZD 840

39.91%

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

$696 ฿22.4K

$92.8 DZD 12.3K

650.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K ฿517.4K

$3,597 DZD 476.1K

346.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,910

$36.87 DZD 4,880

60.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.85 ฿1,123

$46.33 DZD 6,131

-24.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,646

$75.0 DZD 9,924

50.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.1 ฿2,740

$76.9 DZD 10.2K

10.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$615 ฿19.8K

$194 DZD 25.7K

216.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.4K

$117 DZD 15.5K

282.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿67.2K

$269 DZD 35.6K

675.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿48.2K

$180 DZD 23.8K

730.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,734 ฿120.3K

$441 DZD 58.4K

746.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,662 ฿85.8K

$654 DZD 86.6K

306.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$534 ฿17.2K

$256 DZD 33.9K

108.44%

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 20, 2026

Last update for M'Sila: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $615 in Phuket and $194 in M'Sila. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 108% 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: $46 in Phuket vs $20 in M'Sila for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $159 per month, with M'Sila 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 M'Sila: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

M'Sila is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 137% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Phuket pays 108% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $615 in Phuket versus $194 in M'Sila. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in M'Sila runs roughly 48% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $696 in Phuket versus $92.8 in M'Sila. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $536 in M'Sila versus $1,270 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in M'Sila but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes M'Sila the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, M'Sila 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.

Safety-wise, Phuket and M'Sila are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find M'Sila gentler on the wallet – expenses run 137% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.