😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $671 in Menzel Temime.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $1,057 in Menzel Temime.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $1,443 in Menzel Temime.
🌍Living in Phuket is roughly 88% more expensive than in Menzel Temime, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket8% lower, Menzel Temime51% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Menzel Temime
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.66฿154
$3.34TND 9.65
39.52%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.22฿1,065
$20.51TND 59.2
57.09%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.68฿287
$5.29TND 15.26
64.08%
Cappuccino
$2.90฿95.8
$0.71TND 2.04
308.45%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84฿27.89
$0.65TND 1.87
29.23%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.16
$0.26TND 0.74
88.46%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.48฿82.0
$1.62TND 4.67
53.09%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.73฿123
$2.04TND 5.88
82.84%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Menzel Temime
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.89฿62.3
$0.47TND 1.34
302.13%
White Bread(500g)
$1.41฿46.54
$0.23TND 0.66
513.04%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.62฿53.6
$1.39TND 4.00
16.55%
Eggs
$2.24฿74.1
$1.61TND 4.64
39.13%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.84฿656
$12.86TND 37.11
54.28%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.48฿115
$5.66TND 16.32
-38.52%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.37฿376
$14.59TND 42.09
-22.07%
Apples(1kg)
$2.90฿95.8
$1.84TND 5.32
57.61%
Banana(1kg)
$1.72฿57.0
$3.24TND 9.36
-46.91%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.27฿75.1
$1.07TND 3.09
112.15%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.13฿70.4
$0.71TND 2.05
200.00%
Potato(1kg)
$1.47฿48.72
$0.85TND 2.44
72.94%
Onion(1kg)
$1.42฿46.92
$0.78TND 2.26
82.05%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.10฿36.25
$0.58TND 1.68
89.66%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.60฿19.76
$0.35TND 1.02
71.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.31฿142
$3.76TND 10.85
14.63%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.60฿615
$6.68TND 19.27
178.44%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80฿59.5
$1.15TND 3.32
56.52%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97฿98.0
$1.07TND 3.08
177.57%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Menzel Temime
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.25฿74.2
$0.36TND 1.04
525.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$23.49฿776
$10.76TND 31.06
118.31%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.10฿102
$0.32TND 0.92
868.75%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.08฿35.56
$0.35TND 1.02
208.57%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.87฿128
$7.71TND 22.23
-49.81%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.43฿47.16
$0.89TND 2.58
60.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K฿918.0K
$37.6KTND 108.6K
-26.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0K฿891.5K
$35.1KTND 101.4K
-23.19%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Menzel Temime
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$105฿3,462
$46.57TND 134
125.04%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.39฿376
$9.97TND 28.77
14.24%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.54฿580
$14.87TND 42.90
17.96%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Menzel Temime
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$54.3฿1,795
$27.03TND 78.0
101.04%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.44฿378
$14.27TND 41.19
-19.83%
Cinema Ticket
$7.78฿257
$4.68TND 13.52
66.24%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Menzel Temime
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$576฿19.0K
$98.8TND 285
483.24%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.6K฿382.7K
$2,482TND 7,160
366.72%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Menzel Temime
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.6฿2,103
$43.68TND 126
45.70%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.10฿961
$36.48TND 105
-20.23%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$96.2฿3,179
$114TND 328
-15.48%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.0฿2,974
$69.3TND 200
29.88%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Menzel Temime
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$733฿24.2K
$244TND 703
201.03%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$501฿16.5K
$160TND 461
213.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,126฿70.2K
$409TND 1,180
419.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,252฿41.4K
$250TND 720
401.82%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,534฿116.8K
$960TND 2,770
268.19%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,622฿86.6K
$724TND 2,088
262.40%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Menzel Temime
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.8K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
13.6
-59.04%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026
Last update for Menzel Temime: September 6, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $733 in Phuket and $244 in Menzel Temime. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $21.00 in Menzel Temime for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $275 vs $198 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, Getting Around. The 88% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $1,007 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: $733 in Phuket versus $244 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 $576 in Phuket versus $98.8 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 in Menzel Temime?
Supermarket bills run roughly 39% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Menzel Temime?
At $671 in Menzel Temime versus $1,265 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 88% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.