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.
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: Phuket11% lower, Sfax54% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Sfax
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.58฿153
$3.39TND 10.14
35.10%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.48฿1,086
$20.15TND 60.3
61.19%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.55฿286
$4.98TND 14.92
71.69%
Cappuccino
$2.72฿91.0
$0.70TND 2.08
288.57%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94฿31.25
$0.63TND 1.89
49.21%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.39
$0.25TND 0.74
96.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.59฿86.6
$1.62TND 4.85
59.88%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.83฿128
$1.95TND 5.83
96.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Sfax
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.74฿58.1
$0.46TND 1.38
278.26%
White Bread(500g)
$1.43฿47.82
$0.22TND 0.66
550.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.53฿51.0
$1.36TND 4.08
12.50%
Eggs
$2.17฿72.7
$1.55TND 4.63
40.00%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.15฿640
$12.52TND 37.51
52.96%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.30฿110
$5.52TND 16.53
-40.22%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.14฿372
$13.83TND 41.41
-19.45%
Apples(1kg)
$2.95฿98.5
$1.81TND 5.43
62.98%
Banana(1kg)
$1.68฿56.1
$3.14TND 9.41
-46.50%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.30฿76.8
$1.05TND 3.14
119.05%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.13฿71.3
$0.68TND 2.04
213.24%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿51.1
$0.81TND 2.42
88.89%
Onion(1kg)
$1.36฿45.55
$0.83TND 2.47
63.86%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.12฿37.44
$0.58TND 1.74
93.10%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55฿18.24
$0.35TND 1.04
57.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26฿142
$3.73TND 11.17
14.21%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.19฿608
$6.88TND 20.60
164.39%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.74฿58.2
$1.13TND 3.39
53.98%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.79฿93.3
$1.09TND 3.26
155.96%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Sfax
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.22฿74.1
$0.18TND 0.53
1133.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$22.06฿737
$9.97TND 29.87
121.26%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.91฿97.3
$0.33TND 0.99
781.82%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.01฿33.79
$0.31TND 0.94
225.81%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.83฿128
$7.21TND 21.59
-46.88%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.49฿49.85
$0.80TND 2.39
86.25%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.7K฿891.6K
$36.1KTND 108.0K
-25.99%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K฿892.7K
$34.4KTND 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
$44.55TND 133
123.05%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.28฿377
$9.71TND 29.09
16.17%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.36฿580
$14.70TND 44.02
18.10%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Sfax
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.3฿1,747
$27.24TND 81.6
91.96%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.85฿362
$7.12TND 21.32
52.39%
Cinema Ticket
$7.57฿253
$4.65TND 13.91
62.80%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Sfax
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$558฿18.7K
$98.6TND 295
466.30%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.5K฿383.9K
$2,480TND 7,427
363.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Sfax
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.9฿2,102
$41.87TND 125
50.18%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.58฿955
$35.55TND 106
-19.61%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$96.1฿3,213
$112TND 337
-14.50%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.1฿2,943
$67.2TND 201
31.10%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Sfax
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$729฿24.4K
$195TND 584
274.28%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$460฿15.4K
$133TND 399
245.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,096฿70.0K
$335TND 1,002
526.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,222฿40.8K
$214TND 641
470.88%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,459฿115.6K
$1,014TND 3,037
241.12%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,489฿83.2K
$720TND 2,156
245.75%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Sfax
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$493฿16.5K
$333TND 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.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$460 38.1%
Sfax
$133 21.3% ↓ 71%$327
🛒Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$268 22.2%
Sfax
$193 30.8% ↓ 28%$75
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$128 10.6%
Sfax
$69 11% ↓ 46.1%$59
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$124 10.3%
Sfax
$116 18.5% ↓ 6.8%$8.4
🍽Eating Out
Phuket
$121 10.1%
Sfax
$66 10.5% ↓ 45.7%$55
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$67 5.6%
Sfax
$37 5.8% ↓ 45.8%$31
🚌Getting Around
Phuket
$39 3.2%
Sfax
$13 2% ↓ 67.6%$26
🏠Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$1.2K 42.6%
Sfax
$214 16% ↓ 82.5%$1K
🛒Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$605 21.1%
Sfax
$456 34% ↓ 24.5%$148
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$139 4.9%
Sfax
$79 5.9% ↓ 43.5%$61
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$276 9.6%
Sfax
$257 19.2% ↓ 6.8%$19
🍽Eating Out
Phuket
$398 13.9%
Sfax
$229 17.1% ↓ 42.3%$168
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$146 5.1%
Sfax
$80 6% ↓ 45%$66
🚌Getting Around
Phuket
$82 2.9%
Sfax
$26 1.9% ↓ 68.9%$57
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.
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.