😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,270 in Phuket versus $620 in Menzel Temime.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,304 in Phuket versus $998 in Menzel Temime.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,339 in Phuket versus $1,375 in Menzel Temime.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 105% more expensive than Menzel Temime, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket5% lower, Menzel Temime54% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Menzel Temime
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.66฿150
$3.33TND 9.60
39.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.44฿1,496
$20.70TND 59.6
124.35%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.68฿280
$3.32TND 9.56
161.45%
Cappuccino
$2.95฿95.0
$0.72TND 2.07
309.72%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70฿22.52
$0.60TND 1.71
16.67%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39฿12.70
$0.25TND 0.72
56.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.53฿81.6
$1.57TND 4.51
61.15%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78฿122
$1.92TND 5.54
96.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Menzel Temime
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.22฿71.5
$0.53TND 1.54
318.87%
White Bread(500g)
$1.80฿57.8
$0.17TND 0.49
958.82%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.19฿70.4
$1.51TND 4.34
45.03%
Eggs
$2.31฿74.5
$1.64TND 4.71
40.85%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.34฿623
$11.39TND 32.80
69.80%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.77฿121
$5.77TND 16.61
-34.66%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.22฿426
$13.24TND 38.13
-0.15%
Apples(1kg)
$3.33฿107
$2.23TND 6.43
49.33%
Banana(1kg)
$1.65฿53.1
$3.09TND 8.90
-46.60%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.29฿73.7
$1.04TND 3.00
120.19%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.99฿64.1
$0.74TND 2.14
168.92%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿49.24
$0.74TND 2.14
106.76%
Onion(1kg)
$1.51฿48.77
$0.71TND 2.05
112.68%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03฿33.12
$0.51TND 1.48
101.96%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.57
$0.33TND 0.96
54.55%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿142
$3.63TND 10.47
21.49%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.41฿625
$5.25TND 15.13
269.71%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80฿58.0
$1.15TND 3.32
56.52%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68฿86.4
$1.07TND 3.08
150.47%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Menzel Temime
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.43฿46.11
$0.36TND 1.02
297.22%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.70฿377
$9.96TND 28.69
17.47%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.04฿97.9
$0.32TND 0.93
850.00%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿33.37
$0.33TND 0.96
215.15%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.68฿441
$7.61TND 21.93
79.76%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.30฿41.85
$0.88TND 2.54
47.73%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.9K฿898.9K
$36.1KTND 104.0K
-22.78%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.0K฿1.1M
$34.3KTND 98.8K
-3.65%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Menzel Temime
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$123฿3,962
$45.14TND 130
172.42%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.82฿445
$9.34TND 26.90
47.97%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.86฿608
$15.03TND 43.28
25.48%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Menzel Temime
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.2฿1,970
$29.89TND 86.1
104.58%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.81฿541
$12.88TND 37.09
30.51%
Cinema Ticket
$8.87฿286
$4.47TND 12.88
98.43%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Menzel Temime
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$696฿22.4K
$108TND 311
544.89%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$16.1K฿517.4K
$2,514TND 7,241
538.64%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Menzel Temime
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.3฿1,910
$45.24TND 130
31.03%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.85฿1,123
$44.54TND 128
-21.76%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,646
$99.7TND 287
13.54%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.1฿2,740
$66.1TND 190
28.77%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Menzel Temime
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$615฿19.8K
$198TND 571
210.60%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$448฿14.4K
$136TND 391
230.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,085฿67.2K
$377TND 1,086
452.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,496฿48.2K
$269TND 774
456.69%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,734฿120.3K
$994TND 2,862
275.74%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,662฿85.8K
$593TND 1,707
349.13%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Menzel Temime
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$534฿17.2K
-
-
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: April 20, 2026
Last update for Menzel Temime: April 22, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $615 in Phuket and $198 in Menzel Temime. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $46 in Phuket vs $21 in Menzel Temime for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $188 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 105% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,904 in Phuket and $931 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: $615 in Phuket versus $198 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 $696 in Phuket versus $108 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 55% 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 $620 in Menzel Temime versus $1,270 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 105% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.