Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Oued Zem

For one person, living is cheaper in Oued Zem: $751 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $6,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Oued Zem, Morocco
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Oued Zem
🇲🇦 Morocco
$751
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Oued Zem

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 Oued Zem actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,278 per month in Phuket vs $751 in Oued Zem, rent included.

  • Phuket $1,278
  • Oued Zem $751

A couple spends around $2,216 per month in Phuket vs $1,196 in Oued Zem, rent included.

  • Phuket $2,216
  • Oued Zem $1,196

A family of three spends $3,154 per month in Phuket vs $1,640 in Oued Zem, rent included.

  • Phuket $3,154
  • Oued Zem $1,640

Phuket costs about 70% more than Oued Zem, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Phuket and Oued Zem are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Oued Zem 45% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Oued Zem
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.47 ฿151
$4.18 MAD 41.18
6.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.41 ฿1,094
$41.10 MAD 405
-21.14%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.81 ฿297
$7.11 MAD 70.0
23.91%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿95.5
$1.93 MAD 19.03
46.63%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 ฿29.43
$0.57 MAD 5.59
52.63%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.67
$0.36 MAD 3.58
36.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.56 ฿86.4
$4.95 MAD 48.75
-48.28%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 ฿124
$3.19 MAD 31.46
15.36%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Oued Zem
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 ฿56.0
$0.82 MAD 8.05
102.44%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 ฿49.35
$0.61 MAD 5.96
139.34%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.6
$1.85 MAD 18.21
-18.92%
Eggs
$2.09 ฿70.5
$1.95 MAD 19.18
7.18%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.07 ฿644
$11.22 MAD 111
69.96%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿111
$6.67 MAD 65.7
-50.52%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.91 ฿368
$11.88 MAD 117
-8.16%
Apples (1kg)
$2.93 ฿99.0
$1.60 MAD 15.80
83.13%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿57.1
$1.42 MAD 13.99
19.01%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.25 ฿75.8
$0.89 MAD 8.77
152.81%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿70.1
$0.82 MAD 8.08
153.66%
Potato (1kg)
$1.51 ฿51.0
$0.71 MAD 7.03
112.68%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.56
$0.79 MAD 7.74
74.68%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.99
$0.39 MAD 3.86
174.36%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.52
$0.61 MAD 5.97
-14.75%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20 ฿142
$4.23 MAD 41.63
-0.71%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.79 ฿634
$7.23 MAD 71.2
159.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ฿61.5
$2.56 MAD 25.25
-28.91%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 ฿95.9
$2.58 MAD 25.45
10.08%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Oued Zem
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿49.03
$0.50 MAD 4.95
190.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$56.7 ฿1,913
$19.08 MAD 188
196.96%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿102
$0.73 MAD 7.19
313.70%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 ฿34.36
$0.75 MAD 7.36
36.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.69 ฿125
$3.95 MAD 38.95
-6.58%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.81
$1.50 MAD 14.77
-2.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K ฿904.3K
$29.9K MAD 294.5K
-10.44%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿901.3K
$32.7K MAD 322.5K
-18.50%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Oued Zem
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,254
$36.51 MAD 360
163.90%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.26 ฿380
$9.90 MAD 97.5
13.74%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.85 ฿569
$33.95 MAD 334
-50.37%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Oued Zem
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 ฿2,270
$22.75 MAD 224
195.52%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.73 ฿362
$19.10 MAD 188
-43.82%
Cinema Ticket
$7.50 ฿253
$6.24 MAD 61.4
20.19%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Oued Zem
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$476 ฿16.1K
$181 MAD 1,779
163.45%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.3K ฿380.4K
$9,550 MAD 94.1K
17.93%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Oued Zem
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.4 ฿2,106
$47.28 MAD 466
31.90%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.41 ฿959
$39.31 MAD 387
-27.73%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.3 ฿3,184
$91.6 MAD 902
2.95%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8 ฿2,898
$66.5 MAD 655
28.94%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Oued Zem
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$716 ฿24.2K
$314 MAD 3,096
127.71%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$491 ฿16.6K
$185 MAD 1,824
165.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,927 ฿65.1K
$476 MAD 4,686
304.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,431 ฿48.3K
$283 MAD 2,788
405.35%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,175 ฿141.0K
$1,129 MAD 11.1K
269.72%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,045 ฿102.8K
$874 MAD 8,606
248.40%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Oued Zem
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$502 ฿17.0K
$230 MAD 2,264
118.47%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
4.55
22.42%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Oued Zem: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$491
Oued Zem
$185 62.3% $306
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$266
Oued Zem
$201 24.4% $65
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$124
Oued Zem
$80 35.4% $44
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$122
Oued Zem
$110 9.7% $12
Eating Out
Phuket
$122
Oued Zem
$113 7.3% $8.9
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$82
Oued Zem
$35 57.2% $47
Getting Around
Phuket
$71
Oued Zem
$26 63.8% $45

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $716 in Phuket versus $314 in Oued Zem. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Phuket are about 2.2 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Phuket versus $41 in Oued Zem. Groceries tell a different story – $266 in Phuket vs $201 in Oued Zem – so Oued Zem wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇲🇦 Oued Zem
🕒 Local time
06:46 6:46 AM
23:46 11:46 PM
7 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
95,267
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

MAD, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Moroccan Dirham exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 9.85 MAD (1 MAD = 0.102 USD). 1 EUR = 10.96 MAD (100 MAD = 9.12 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Oued Zem 10,900 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Oued Zem

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 Oued Zem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Phuket and in Oued Zem compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,278 in Phuket, $751 in Oued Zem – Oued Zem comes out roughly 41% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Phuket compared to Oued Zem?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,917 per month in Phuket and $1,126 in Oued Zem. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Phuket and Oued Zem?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Oued Zem, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $314 there versus $716 in Phuket.
Which city is more expensive overall: Phuket or Oued Zem?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,278 in Phuket and $751 in Oued Zem. That makes Oued Zem about 41% cheaper.
How do commuting costs compare in Phuket and in Oued Zem?
Public transport costs about 66% less in Oued Zem. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Oued Zem, where all-in costs run around $751, than in Phuket at $1,278. In Oued Zem it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Phuket or Oued Zem?
Families tend to lean toward Oued Zem – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Is Phuket or Oued Zem safer for residents?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
How do I decide between Phuket and Oued Zem?
If budget matters most, go with Oued Zem. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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