Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Monastir Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Monastir

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $680 in Monastir.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,073 in Monastir.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $1,467 in Monastir.

Living in Phuket is roughly 86% more expensive than in Monastir, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Monastir 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$3.81 TND 11.19

17.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,522

$23.83 TND 69.9

91.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$5.12 TND 15.02

71.09%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.1

$0.88 TND 2.58

237.50%

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

$0.69 ฿22.92

$0.71 TND 2.08

-2.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.05

$0.31 TND 0.91

25.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.5

$1.71 TND 5.02

47.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$1.88 TND 5.51

99.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$0.49 TND 1.44

338.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$0.15 TND 0.44

1113.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿73.0

$1.74 TND 5.12

25.29%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.1

$1.50 TND 4.40

50.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿668

$12.29 TND 36.07

62.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$5.88 TND 17.26

-38.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿453

$13.77 TND 40.40

-1.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$1.53 TND 4.49

111.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$3.16 TND 9.28

-48.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.9

$0.98 TND 2.88

137.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.2

$0.75 TND 2.21

176.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.7

$0.75 TND 2.19

106.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.58

$0.59 TND 1.75

147.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.88

$0.43 TND 1.27

127.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.11

$0.31 TND 0.91

54.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$3.45 TND 10.12

26.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$5.22 TND 15.31

255.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.0

$1.19 TND 3.49

56.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.7

$1.39 TND 4.07

90.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.32

$0.38 TND 1.13

273.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$11.56 TND 33.93

0.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$0.32 TND 0.94

890.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.45

$0.33 TND 0.98

212.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿464

$3.47 TND 10.19

300.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.88

$0.81 TND 2.37

65.43%

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

$27.8K ฿927.9K

$40.8K TND 119.8K

-31.95%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$35.7K TND 104.7K

-6.46%

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

$123 ฿4,109

$58.4 TND 171

110.70%

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

$13.77 ฿460

$10.12 TND 29.71

36.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿612

$18.20 TND 53.4

0.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,026

$20.70 TND 60.8

193.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$6.97 TND 20.44

146.20%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$5.41 TND 15.87

63.96%

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

$688 ฿23.0K

$106 TND 310

550.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.9K

$3,221 TND 9,451

389.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,980

$44.84 TND 132

32.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,158

$62.1 TND 182

-44.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,846

$113 TND 332

1.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,797

$82.1 TND 241

2.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$208 TND 611

198.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$133 TND 391

234.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.9K

$463 TND 1,359

338.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿50.0K

$276 TND 811

441.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.4K

$1,249 TND 3,664

176.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.5K

$627 TND 1,839

303.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$348 TND 1,021

41.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-51.55%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Monastir: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $208 in Monastir. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 42% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $24.00 in Monastir for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $189 per month, with Monastir 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 Monastir: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monastir is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 86% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 42% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $621 in Phuket versus $208 in Monastir. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,264 per month in Phuket versus $680 in Monastir – a 86% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Monastir runs roughly 0% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $680 in Monastir versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Monastir but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Monastir the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Monastir 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.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Monastir are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Monastir gentler on the wallet – expenses run 86% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.