Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Nabeul

For one person, living is cheaper in Nabeul: $672 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $7,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Nabeul, Tunisia
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Nabeul
🇹🇳 Tunisia
$672
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Nabeul

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Nabeul actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,278 in Phuket versus $672 in Nabeul.

  • Phuket $1,278
  • Nabeul $672

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,216 in Phuket versus $1,062 in Nabeul.

  • Phuket $2,216
  • Nabeul $1,062

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,154 in Phuket versus $1,452 in Nabeul.

  • Phuket $3,154
  • Nabeul $1,452

Living in Phuket is roughly 90% more expensive than in Nabeul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

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

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Nabeul
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.47 ฿151
$4.04 TND 12.15
10.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.41 ฿1,093
$19.90 TND 59.8
62.86%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.81 ฿297
$4.80 TND 14.41
83.54%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿95.4
$1.55 TND 4.65
82.58%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 ฿29.41
$0.61 TND 1.84
42.62%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.65
$0.52 TND 1.56
-5.77%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.56 ฿86.3
$1.70 TND 5.11
50.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 ฿124
$1.63 TND 4.91
125.77%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Nabeul
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 ฿55.9
$0.44 TND 1.31
277.27%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 ฿49.31
$0.19 TND 0.56
668.42%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.5
$1.32 TND 3.95
13.64%
Eggs
$2.09 ฿70.5
$1.52 TND 4.56
37.50%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.07 ฿643
$11.94 TND 35.87
59.72%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿111
$6.01 TND 18.07
-45.09%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.91 ฿368
$12.29 TND 36.92
-11.23%
Apples (1kg)
$2.93 ฿98.9
$1.95 TND 5.85
50.26%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿57.0
$3.51 TND 10.56
-51.85%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.25 ฿75.8
$1.30 TND 3.91
73.08%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿70.0
$0.76 TND 2.29
173.68%
Potato (1kg)
$1.51 ฿51.0
$0.65 TND 1.94
132.31%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.52
$0.84 TND 2.52
64.29%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.96
$0.52 TND 1.56
105.77%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.51
$0.34 TND 1.04
52.94%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20 ฿142
$3.29 TND 9.89
27.66%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.79 ฿634
$5.00 TND 15.03
275.80%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ฿61.5
$1.20 TND 3.61
51.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 ฿95.8
$1.30 TND 3.91
118.46%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Nabeul
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿48.98
$0.85 TND 2.55
70.59%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$56.7 ฿1,912
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿102
$0.29 TND 0.86
941.38%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 ฿34.33
$0.31 TND 0.94
229.03%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.69 ฿125
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.76
$0.85 TND 2.56
72.94%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K ฿903.4K
$39.5K TND 118.6K
-32.19%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿900.5K
$36.2K TND 108.8K
-26.30%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Nabeul
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,251
$58.8 TND 177
63.92%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.26 ฿380
$10.50 TND 31.54
7.24%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.85 ฿568
$19.89 TND 59.8
-15.28%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Nabeul
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 ฿2,268
$29.36 TND 88.2
128.99%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.73 ฿362
$13.84 TND 41.57
-22.47%
Cinema Ticket
$7.50 ฿253
$5.37 TND 16.14
39.66%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Nabeul
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$476 ฿16.1K
$61.0 TND 183
680.60%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.3K ฿380.0K
$3,765 TND 11.3K
199.14%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Nabeul
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.4 ฿2,104
$37.49 TND 113
66.34%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.41 ฿958
$57.3 TND 172
-50.44%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.3 ฿3,181
$97.2 TND 292
-3.01%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8 ฿2,895
$65.8 TND 198
30.36%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Nabeul
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$716 ฿24.2K
$227 TND 682
215.18%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$491 ฿16.6K
$152 TND 455
223.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,927 ฿65.0K
$378 TND 1,135
410.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,431 ฿48.3K
$279 TND 837
413.51%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,175 ฿140.9K
$870 TND 2,613
380.11%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,045 ฿102.7K
$806 TND 2,420
277.96%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Nabeul
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$502 ฿16.9K
$253 TND 761
98.39%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
10.33
-46.08%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Nabeul: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$491
Nabeul
$152 69.1% $339
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$266
Nabeul
$189 29.2% $78
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$124
Nabeul
$89 28.4% $35
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$122
Nabeul
$116 4.8% $5.8
Eating Out
Phuket
$122
Nabeul
$82 32.9% $40
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$82
Nabeul
$40 51.2% $42
Getting Around
Phuket
$71
Nabeul
$5.3 * 92.6% $65

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $716 in Phuket and $227 in Nabeul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 98% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $20 in Nabeul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $266 vs $189 per month, with Nabeul cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇹🇳 Nabeul
🕒 Local time
10:50 10:50 AM
04:50 4:50 AM
6 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
73,128
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

TND, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.67 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Tunisian Dinar exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 3 TND (1 TND = 0.333 USD). 1 EUR = 3.35 TND (1 TND = 0.298 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Nabeul 9,280 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Nabeul

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Nabeul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Nabeul?
Nabeul wins on cost – living expenses run 47% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Nabeul the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Phuket or in Nabeul?
Average pay runs 98% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Phuket compared to Nabeul?
Rent for a central apartment: $716 in Phuket versus $227 in Nabeul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Phuket and in Nabeul?
Childcare runs $476 in Phuket versus $61 in Nabeul. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Phuket and in Nabeul?
Dining out is cheaper in Nabeul – a meal for two runs $20 versus $32 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $800/month in Phuket or in Nabeul?
At $672 in Nabeul versus $1,278 in Phuket, a $800 budget is realistic in Nabeul but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Nabeul the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Phuket or Nabeul?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Should I move to Phuket or to Nabeul?
It comes down to priorities – Nabeul wins on affordability, Phuket on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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