Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mahdia Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mahdia

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $567 in Mahdia, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,286 per month in Phuket vs $865 in Mahdia, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,310 per month in Phuket vs $1,163 in Mahdia, rent included.

Phuket costs about 122% more than Mahdia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Mahdia are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Mahdia 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$2.57 TND 7.51

77.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$20.61 TND 60.1

126.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$3.46 TND 10.09

144.80%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$0.71 TND 2.07

326.76%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.62 TND 1.81

11.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.20 TND 0.57

85.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$1.03 TND 3.02

141.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$1.54 TND 4.50

137.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$0.40 TND 1.17

445.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$0.18 TND 0.51

955.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.56 TND 4.54

41.03%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$1.57 TND 4.57

41.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$11.22 TND 32.74

78.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$5.54 TND 16.16

-33.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$13.27 TND 38.71

-0.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$2.22 TND 6.47

45.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$2.90 TND 8.47

-41.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.00 TND 2.92

139.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$0.68 TND 1.97

205.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.69 TND 2.02

130.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$0.32 TND 0.94

362.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$0.33 TND 0.96

212.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.31 TND 0.90

67.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$3.60 TND 10.51

18.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$3.42 TND 9.97

449.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.10 TND 3.20

60.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$1.11 TND 3.23

148.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.35 TND 1.02

288.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$10.12 TND 29.52

12.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$0.30 TND 0.87

946.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$0.24 TND 0.70

333.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$7.37 TND 21.51

86.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$0.81 TND 2.37

65.43%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$35.7K TND 104.1K

-22.42%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$35.2K TND 102.6K

-3.71%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$46.09 TND 134

168.15%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$9.47 TND 27.62

42.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$14.63 TND 42.68

27.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$20.51 TND 59.9

201.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$7.76 TND 22.63

122.29%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$4.59 TND 13.40

99.13%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$109 TND 318

543.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$1,009 TND 2,945

1472.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$45.07 TND 131

31.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$33.45 TND 97.6

4.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$101 TND 296

13.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$23.69 TND 69.1

254.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$146 TND 425

324.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$137 TND 399

216.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$288 TND 841

615.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$161 TND 469

839.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$1,028 TND 3,000

254.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$639 TND 1,864

310.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$241 TND 702

110.71%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Mahdia: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Phuket versus $146 in Mahdia. 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 111% 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 $21.00 in Mahdia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $178 – making Mahdia 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 Mahdia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 122%, 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 $1,892 per month in Phuket and $851 in Mahdia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $703 per month in Phuket and $109 in Mahdia. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 65% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Mahdia, where all-in costs run around $567, than in Phuket at $1,261. In Mahdia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mahdia – 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 Mahdia. 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.