😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $632 in Menzel Temime.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,004 in Menzel Temime.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $1,377 in Menzel Temime.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 100% more expensive than Menzel Temime, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket6% lower, Menzel Temime53% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Menzel Temime
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.56฿150
$3.38TND 9.82
34.91%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.63฿1,535
$19.98TND 58.0
133.38%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.47฿279
$3.36TND 9.77
152.08%
Cappuccino
$3.03฿99.7
$0.77TND 2.23
293.51%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.69
$0.61TND 1.76
13.11%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿12.04
$0.23TND 0.67
60.87%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.49฿81.9
$1.50TND 4.35
66.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66฿120
$2.00TND 5.81
83.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Menzel Temime
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.18฿71.8
$0.51TND 1.47
327.45%
White Bread(500g)
$1.90฿62.6
$0.16TND 0.47
1087.50%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.20฿72.4
$1.48TND 4.31
48.65%
Eggs
$2.22฿73.2
$1.57TND 4.57
41.40%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.99฿658
$11.18TND 32.49
78.80%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.66฿121
$5.65TND 16.40
-35.22%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.25฿436
$13.67TND 39.70
-3.07%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23฿106
$2.26TND 6.55
42.92%
Banana(1kg)
$1.70฿55.9
$2.98TND 8.66
-42.95%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.39฿78.8
$1.00TND 2.92
139.00%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.4
$0.70TND 2.03
197.14%
Potato(1kg)
$1.59฿52.4
$0.79TND 2.29
101.27%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.83
$0.73TND 2.11
102.74%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03฿33.90
$0.51TND 1.48
101.96%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52฿17.01
$0.31TND 0.89
67.74%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.25฿140
$3.61TND 10.48
17.73%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.79฿618
$5.11TND 14.86
267.71%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76฿57.8
$1.14TND 3.30
54.39%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76฿90.8
$1.10TND 3.19
150.91%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Menzel Temime
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.36฿44.79
$0.35TND 1.03
288.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.36฿374
$10.01TND 29.07
13.49%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14฿103
$0.30TND 0.86
946.67%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿34.10
$0.33TND 0.96
215.15%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.77฿453
$7.26TND 21.10
89.67%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.34฿44.26
$0.89TND 2.57
50.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7K฿911.1K
$36.3KTND 105.4K
-23.69%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.9K฿1.1M
$34.4KTND 100.0K
-1.65%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Menzel Temime
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$124฿4,069
$46.37TND 135
166.53%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.52฿445
$9.81TND 28.50
37.82%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.69฿615
$15.07TND 43.77
24.02%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Menzel Temime
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.8฿2,035
$29.73TND 86.4
107.94%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.25฿568
$12.75TND 37.04
35.29%
Cinema Ticket
$9.14฿301
$4.71TND 13.67
94.06%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Menzel Temime
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$703฿23.1K
$107TND 311
556.44%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.9K฿522.5K
$2,513TND 7,300
531.64%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Menzel Temime
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,958
$44.63TND 130
33.23%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.07฿1,154
$43.40TND 126
-19.19%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,795
$101TND 293
14.36%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.1฿2,767
$66.3TND 192
26.87%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Menzel Temime
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$619฿20.4K
$200TND 580
210.07%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$433฿14.2K
$135TND 393
220.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,062฿67.9K
$381TND 1,106
441.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,511฿49.7K
$274TND 797
451.01%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,646฿120.0K
$892TND 2,592
308.65%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,626฿86.4K
$594TND 1,725
342.09%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Menzel Temime
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$507฿16.7K
-
-
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 Menzel Temime: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $200 in Menzel Temime. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $20.00 in Menzel Temime for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $186 per month, with Menzel Temime 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 Menzel Temime: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Menzel Temime cheaper than Phuket?
Menzel Temime is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 100% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,892 in Phuket and $948 in Menzel Temime to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Menzel Temime?
Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $200 in Menzel Temime. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $107 in Menzel Temime. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and Menzel Temime?
Supermarket bills run roughly 57% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Menzel Temime?
At $632 in Menzel Temime versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Menzel Temime but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Menzel Temime the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Menzel Temime more family-friendly?
For families, Menzel Temime 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 Menzel Temime?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Menzel Temime 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 Menzel Temime gentler on the wallet – expenses run 100% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.