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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $570 in Mahdia, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $913 in Mahdia, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $1,256 in Mahdia, rent included.

Phuket costs about 116% more than Mahdia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Mahdia are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 10% lower, Mahdia 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$2.58 TND 7.47

70.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$20.59 TND 59.7

56.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$4.83 TND 14.02

84.89%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$1.01 TND 2.93

187.13%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$0.64 TND 1.85

37.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.18 TND 0.53

166.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$1.02 TND 2.95

130.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$1.57 TND 4.54

136.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$0.44 TND 1.27

325.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$0.27 TND 0.78

444.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.40 TND 4.07

10.71%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$1.58 TND 4.60

32.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$11.75 TND 34.07

66.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$5.15 TND 14.93

-33.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$15.09 TND 43.77

-24.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$2.89 TND 8.38

3.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$2.97 TND 8.60

-43.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$1.43 TND 4.14

54.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$0.76 TND 2.20

184.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$0.66 TND 1.91

130.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$0.35 TND 1.02

282.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$0.44 TND 1.28

156.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.33 TND 0.95

66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$3.52 TND 10.20

21.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$3.43 TND 9.96

456.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$1.67 TND 4.86

6.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$1.30 TND 3.77

113.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$0.32 TND 0.94

596.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

$13.45 TND 39.00

69.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$0.32 TND 0.94

846.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$0.28 TND 0.81

264.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$0.90 TND 2.61

65.56%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$40.5K TND 117.5K

-34.36%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$41.7K TND 120.9K

-35.14%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$56.7 TND 164

80.72%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$7.48 TND 21.68

51.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$20.75 TND 60.2

-16.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$21.37 TND 62.0

143.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$7.52 TND 21.80

47.21%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$6.69 TND 19.40

14.95%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$113 TND 329

395.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$1,043 TND 3,026

1003.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$39.36 TND 114

60.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$33.87 TND 98.2

-12.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$79.2 TND 230

23.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$23.67 TND 68.7

273.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$132 TND 384

458.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$103 TND 299

368.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$300 TND 869

603.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$174 TND 505

603.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$675 TND 1,957

436.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$208 TND 603

1152.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$236 TND 685

108.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

10.33

-46.08%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Mahdia: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Phuket versus $132 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 109% 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $21.00 in Mahdia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $193 – 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 116%, 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 $1,847 per month in Phuket and $855 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 $561 per month in Phuket and $113 in Mahdia. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 42% 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 $570, than in Phuket at $1,232. 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.