😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $526 in Souk Ahras.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $798 in Souk Ahras.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $1,070 in Souk Ahras.
🌍Living in Phuket is roughly 134% more expensive than in Souk Ahras, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket10% lower, Souk Ahras62% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Souk Ahras
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.41฿147
$2.45DZD 328
80.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.26฿1,077
$10.67DZD 1,426
202.34%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.93฿298
$3.51DZD 469
154.42%
Cappuccino
$2.90฿96.6
$0.70DZD 93.2
314.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88฿29.38
$0.51DZD 67.5
72.55%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48฿16.06
$0.28DZD 37.51
71.43%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.35฿78.5
$1.33DZD 178
76.69%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿124
$2.04DZD 273
82.35%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Souk Ahras
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.87฿62.3
$0.88DZD 118
112.50%
White Bread(500g)
$1.47฿48.94
$0.23DZD 30.27
539.13%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.55฿51.8
$1.23DZD 165
26.02%
Eggs
$2.10฿70.1
$1.41DZD 188
48.94%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.59฿654
$3.34DZD 446
486.53%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.42฿114
$2.86DZD 382
19.58%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.38฿380
$17.02DZD 2,274
-33.14%
Apples(1kg)
$2.98฿99.6
$1.53DZD 205
94.77%
Banana(1kg)
$1.68฿56.2
$3.11DZD 415
-45.98%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.21฿73.7
$1.10DZD 147
100.91%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.16฿72.1
$0.94DZD 126
129.79%
Potato(1kg)
$1.52฿50.9
$0.44DZD 58.9
245.45%
Onion(1kg)
$1.34฿44.67
$0.41DZD 55.3
226.83%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.13฿37.67
$0.23DZD 30.58
391.30%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55฿18.24
$0.29DZD 38.89
89.66%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26฿142
$2.27DZD 303
87.67%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.09฿637
$6.56DZD 876
191.01%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿59.4
$1.44DZD 192
23.61%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78฿92.9
$1.83DZD 245
51.91%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Souk Ahras
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.23฿74.4
$0.19DZD 25.52
1073.68%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$22.74฿759
$6.28DZD 839
262.10%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.03฿101
$0.56DZD 75.3
441.07%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.02฿34.15
$0.54DZD 72.6
88.89%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.89฿130
$4.31DZD 576
-9.74%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.49฿49.77
$0.33DZD 44.46
351.52%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.6K฿887.3K
$37.0KDZD 4.9M
-28.07%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0K฿902.2K
$36.1KDZD 4.8M
-25.22%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Souk Ahras
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$102฿3,420
$38.15DZD 5,096
168.60%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.33฿378
$9.27DZD 1,238
22.22%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.40฿581
$20.16DZD 2,693
-13.69%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Souk Ahras
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.1฿1,738
$11.92DZD 1,593
336.91%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.07฿370
$4.04DZD 540
174.01%
Cinema Ticket
$7.69฿257
$4.69DZD 627
63.97%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Souk Ahras
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$561฿18.7K
$92.0DZD 12.3K
509.66%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.5K฿384.1K
$3,250DZD 434.2K
254.01%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Souk Ahras
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.0฿2,104
$30.68DZD 4,098
105.44%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.52฿986
$41.01DZD 5,478
-28.02%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$98.0฿3,272
$81.2DZD 10.8K
20.74%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.5฿2,954
$79.7DZD 10.6K
11.06%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Souk Ahras
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$738฿24.6K
$156DZD 20.8K
373.45%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$482฿16.1K
$107DZD 14.3K
351.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,107฿70.3K
$296DZD 39.5K
612.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,226฿40.9K
$178DZD 23.7K
590.56%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,617฿120.7K
$1,308DZD 174.8K
176.45%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,603฿86.9K
$275DZD 36.7K
847.74%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Souk Ahras
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$494฿16.5K
$304DZD 40.6K
62.36%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
5.3
5.09%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026
Last update for Souk Ahras: September 14, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $156 in Souk Ahras. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Phuket pays 62% 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 $11.00 in Souk Ahras for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $163 per month, with Souk Ahras 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 Souk Ahras: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Souk Ahras cheaper than Phuket?
Souk Ahras is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 134% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Souk Ahras?
Average pay runs 62% 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 Souk Ahras?
Rent for a central apartment: $738 in Phuket versus $156 in Souk Ahras. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $92.0 in Souk Ahras. 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 Souk Ahras?
Supermarket bills run roughly 68% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Souk Ahras?
At $526 in Souk Ahras versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Souk Ahras but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Souk Ahras the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Souk Ahras more family-friendly?
For families, Souk Ahras 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 Souk Ahras?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Souk Ahras 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 Souk Ahras gentler on the wallet – expenses run 134% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.