Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Sfax

For one person, living is cheaper in Sfax: $626 a month against $1,207 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $7,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,207
/mo nomad
Sfax
🇹🇳 Tunisia
$626
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Sfax

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,207 in Phuket versus $626 in Sfax.

  • Phuket $1,207
  • Sfax $626

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,037 in Phuket versus $983 in Sfax.

  • Phuket $2,037
  • Sfax $983

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,867 in Phuket versus $1,341 in Sfax.

  • Phuket $2,867
  • Sfax $1,341

Living in Phuket is roughly 93% more expensive than in Sfax, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 11% lower, Sfax 54% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Sfax
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.58 ฿153
$3.39 TND 10.14
35.10%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.48 ฿1,086
$20.15 TND 60.3
61.19%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.55 ฿286
$4.98 TND 14.92
71.69%
Cappuccino
$2.72 ฿91.0
$0.70 TND 2.08
288.57%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94 ฿31.25
$0.63 TND 1.89
49.21%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.39
$0.25 TND 0.74
96.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.59 ฿86.6
$1.62 TND 4.85
59.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.83 ฿128
$1.95 TND 5.83
96.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Sfax
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.74 ฿58.1
$0.46 TND 1.38
278.26%
White Bread (500g)
$1.43 ฿47.82
$0.22 TND 0.66
550.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.53 ฿51.0
$1.36 TND 4.08
12.50%
Eggs
$2.17 ฿72.7
$1.55 TND 4.63
40.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.15 ฿640
$12.52 TND 37.51
52.96%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿110
$5.52 TND 16.53
-40.22%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.14 ฿372
$13.83 TND 41.41
-19.45%
Apples (1kg)
$2.95 ฿98.5
$1.81 TND 5.43
62.98%
Banana (1kg)
$1.68 ฿56.1
$3.14 TND 9.41
-46.50%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.30 ฿76.8
$1.05 TND 3.14
119.05%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.13 ฿71.3
$0.68 TND 2.04
213.24%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 ฿51.1
$0.81 TND 2.42
88.89%
Onion (1kg)
$1.36 ฿45.55
$0.83 TND 2.47
63.86%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 ฿37.44
$0.58 TND 1.74
93.10%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 ฿18.24
$0.35 TND 1.04
57.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26 ฿142
$3.73 TND 11.17
14.21%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.19 ฿608
$6.88 TND 20.60
164.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.74 ฿58.2
$1.13 TND 3.39
53.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.79 ฿93.3
$1.09 TND 3.26
155.96%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Sfax
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.22 ฿74.1
$0.18 TND 0.53
1133.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.06 ฿737
$9.97 TND 29.87
121.26%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.91 ฿97.3
$0.33 TND 0.99
781.82%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.01 ฿33.79
$0.31 TND 0.94
225.81%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.83 ฿128
$7.21 TND 21.59
-46.88%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.49 ฿49.85
$0.80 TND 2.39
86.25%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.7K ฿891.6K
$36.1K TND 108.0K
-25.99%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿892.7K
$34.4K TND 103.1K
-22.42%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Sfax
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$99.4 ฿3,321
$44.55 TND 133
123.05%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.28 ฿377
$9.71 TND 29.09
16.17%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.36 ฿580
$14.70 TND 44.02
18.10%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Sfax
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.3 ฿1,747
$27.24 TND 81.6
91.96%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.85 ฿362
$7.12 TND 21.32
52.39%
Cinema Ticket
$7.57 ฿253
$4.65 TND 13.91
62.80%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Sfax
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$558 ฿18.7K
$98.6 TND 295
466.30%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.5K ฿383.9K
$2,480 TND 7,427
363.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Sfax
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.9 ฿2,102
$41.87 TND 125
50.18%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.58 ฿955
$35.55 TND 106
-19.61%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.1 ฿3,213
$112 TND 337
-14.50%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.1 ฿2,943
$67.2 TND 201
31.10%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Sfax
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$729 ฿24.4K
$195 TND 584
274.28%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$460 ฿15.4K
$133 TND 399
245.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,096 ฿70.0K
$335 TND 1,002
526.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,222 ฿40.8K
$214 TND 641
470.88%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,459 ฿115.6K
$1,014 TND 3,037
241.12%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,489 ฿83.2K
$720 TND 2,156
245.75%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Sfax
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$493 ฿16.5K
$333 TND 996
48.24%
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: October 13, 2026

Last update for Sfax: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$460
Sfax
$133 71% $327
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$268
Sfax
$193 28% $75
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$128
Sfax
$69 46.1% $59
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$124
Sfax
$116 6.8% $8.4
Eating Out
Phuket
$121
Sfax
$66 45.7% $55
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$67
Sfax
$37 45.8% $31
Getting Around
Phuket
$39
Sfax
$13 67.6% $26

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $729 in Phuket and $195 in Sfax. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 48% 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $20.00 in Sfax for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $193 per month, with Sfax cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇹🇳 Sfax
🕒 Local time
23:45 11:45 PM
17:45 5:45 PM
6 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
955,421
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

TND, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Tunisian Dinar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 2.99 TND (1 TND = 0.334 USD). 1 EUR = 3.37 TND (1 TND = 0.297 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Sfax 9,290 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Sfax

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 Sfax: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sfax cheaper than Phuket?
Sfax is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 93% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Sfax?
Average pay runs 48% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Sfax?
Rent for a central apartment: $729 in Phuket versus $195 in Sfax. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $558 in Phuket versus $98.6 in Sfax. 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 Sfax?
Supermarket bills run roughly 39% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Sfax?
At $626 in Sfax versus $1,207 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sfax but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Sfax the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Sfax more family-friendly?
For families, Sfax 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 Sfax?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Sfax 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 Sfax gentler on the wallet – expenses run 93% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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