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: $1,261 in Phuket versus $545 in M'Sila.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $842 in M'Sila.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $1,139 in M'Sila.

Living in Phuket is roughly 132% more expensive than M'Sila, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, M'Sila 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$1.95 DZD 259

133.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$19.26 DZD 2,552

142.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$3.87 DZD 513

118.86%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$0.41 DZD 54.1

639.02%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.52 DZD 68.4

32.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.21 DZD 27.56

76.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$1.91 DZD 253

30.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.32 DZD 308

57.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$0.83 DZD 110

162.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$0.13 DZD 17.48

1361.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.48 DZD 196

48.65%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$1.48 DZD 196

50.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$3.17 DZD 420

530.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$5.49 DZD 728

-33.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$9.25 DZD 1,225

43.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$3.17 DZD 421

1.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$2.74 DZD 364

-37.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.72 DZD 228

38.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$0.54 DZD 71.5

285.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.49 DZD 64.8

224.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$0.31 DZD 41.15

377.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$0.14 DZD 18.91

635.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.30 DZD 40.17

73.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$2.67 DZD 354

59.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$6.78 DZD 899

177.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.35 DZD 178

30.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$2.07 DZD 275

33.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.23 DZD 30.34

491.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$17.59 DZD 2,331

-35.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$0.71 DZD 93.5

342.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$0.34 DZD 44.84

205.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$5.46 DZD 723

152.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$0.36 DZD 47.18

272.22%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$36.0K DZD 4.8M

-23.01%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$33.5K DZD 4.4M

1.05%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$23.73 DZD 3,145

420.82%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$7.84 DZD 1,039

72.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$17.96 DZD 2,381

4.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$23.01 DZD 3,049

168.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$6.07 DZD 804

50.58%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$92.8 DZD 12.3K

657.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$3,606 DZD 477.9K

340.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$36.32 DZD 4,814

63.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$45.49 DZD 6,029

-22.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$75.9 DZD 10.1K

51.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$77.9 DZD 10.3K

7.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$197 DZD 26.1K

214.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$117 DZD 15.5K

270.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$276 DZD 36.6K

647.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$181 DZD 24.0K

734.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$1,131 DZD 149.9K

222.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$649 DZD 86.0K

304.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$251 DZD 33.3K

101.96%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for M'Sila: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $197 in M'Sila. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 102% 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 M'Sila for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 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 132% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Phuket pays 102% 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: $619 in Phuket versus $197 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 55% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $703 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 $545 in M'Sila versus $1,261 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 132% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.