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: $1,261 in Phuket versus $664 in Monastir.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,065 in Monastir.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $1,466 in Monastir.

Living in Phuket is roughly 90% more expensive than Monastir, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Monastir 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$3.80 TND 11.10

20.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$23.76 TND 69.3

96.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$5.16 TND 15.05

64.15%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$0.90 TND 2.61

236.67%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.75 TND 2.20

-8.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.31 TND 0.91

19.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$1.71 TND 4.98

45.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$1.81 TND 5.27

102.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$0.46 TND 1.34

373.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$0.16 TND 0.48

1087.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.80 TND 5.27

22.22%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$1.50 TND 4.36

48.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$11.99 TND 34.99

66.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$5.87 TND 17.14

-37.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$13.54 TND 39.49

-2.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$1.59 TND 4.65

103.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$3.16 TND 9.23

-46.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$0.93 TND 2.71

156.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$0.75 TND 2.18

177.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.75 TND 2.19

112.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$0.59 TND 1.72

150.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$0.43 TND 1.27

139.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.29 TND 0.84

79.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$3.42 TND 9.99

24.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$5.01 TND 14.61

275.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.20 TND 3.50

46.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$1.40 TND 4.09

97.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.39 TND 1.13

248.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$11.34 TND 33.09

0.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$0.32 TND 0.94

881.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$0.30 TND 0.89

246.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$3.47 TND 10.13

296.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$0.84 TND 2.44

59.52%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$40.6K TND 118.4K

-31.81%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$36.4K TND 106.2K

-6.95%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$59.2 TND 173

108.91%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$10.08 TND 29.41

34.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$18.18 TND 53.0

2.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$21.16 TND 61.7

192.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$6.93 TND 20.22

148.92%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$5.29 TND 15.42

72.78%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$106 TND 309

563.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$3,177 TND 9,269

399.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$44.72 TND 130

32.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$61.8 TND 180

-43.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$111 TND 323

4.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$83.9 TND 245

0.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$204 TND 596

202.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$134 TND 391

222.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$465 TND 1,356

343.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$283 TND 825

434.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$1,259 TND 3,672

189.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$632 TND 1,843

315.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$361 TND 1,052

40.56%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Monastir: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $204 in Monastir. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 41% 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: $47.00 in Phuket vs $24.00 in Monastir for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $187 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 90% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Phuket pays 41% more on average, 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: $619 in Phuket versus $204 in Monastir. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,261 per month in Phuket versus $664 in Monastir – a 90% 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 $664 in Monastir versus $1,261 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 90% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.