😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $547 in Souk Ahras.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $837 in Souk Ahras.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $1,126 in Souk Ahras.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 130% more expensive than Souk Ahras, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket6% lower, Souk Ahras59% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Souk Ahras
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.56฿149
$2.46DZD 326
85.37%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.63฿1,519
$10.96DZD 1,453
325.46%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.47฿276
$3.95DZD 523
114.43%
Cappuccino
$3.03฿98.6
$0.65DZD 86.2
366.15%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.45
$0.50DZD 65.9
38.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.92
$0.23DZD 30.57
60.87%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.49฿81.0
$1.92DZD 255
29.69%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66฿119
$2.41DZD 320
51.87%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Souk Ahras
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.18฿71.0
$0.81DZD 107
169.14%
White Bread(500g)
$1.90฿62.0
$0.23DZD 29.86
726.09%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.20฿71.6
$1.25DZD 166
76.00%
Eggs
$2.22฿72.4
$1.94DZD 258
14.43%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.99฿651
$3.46DZD 458
477.75%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.66฿119
$2.85DZD 378
28.42%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.25฿432
$16.78DZD 2,223
-21.04%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23฿105
$1.56DZD 206
107.05%
Banana(1kg)
$1.70฿55.3
$2.95DZD 391
-42.37%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.39฿78.0
$1.23DZD 163
94.31%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿67.7
$1.18DZD 156
76.27%
Potato(1kg)
$1.59฿51.8
$0.44DZD 57.9
261.36%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.31
$0.38DZD 50.4
289.47%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03฿33.54
$0.23DZD 30.36
347.83%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52฿16.83
$0.29DZD 38.96
79.31%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.25฿138
$2.28DZD 303
86.40%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.79฿612
$6.18DZD 819
204.05%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76฿57.2
$1.29DZD 171
36.43%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76฿89.8
$2.17DZD 288
27.19%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Souk Ahras
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.36฿44.32
$0.18DZD 24.09
655.56%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.36฿370
$17.64DZD 2,338
-35.60%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14฿102
$0.66DZD 87.2
375.76%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿33.74
$0.48DZD 63.5
116.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.77฿448
$5.34DZD 708
157.87%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.34฿43.79
$0.33DZD 44.05
306.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7K฿901.4K
$32.9KDZD 4.4M
-15.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.9K฿1.1M
$34.3KDZD 4.5M
-1.26%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Souk Ahras
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$124฿4,025
$40.58DZD 5,379
204.56%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.52฿440
$9.30DZD 1,233
45.38%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.69฿609
$20.01DZD 2,652
-6.60%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Souk Ahras
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.8฿2,013
$12.05DZD 1,598
413.03%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.25฿562
$4.07DZD 540
323.83%
Cinema Ticket
$9.14฿298
$5.42DZD 719
68.63%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Souk Ahras
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$703฿22.9K
$91.5DZD 12.1K
668.26%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.9K฿517.0K
$3,633DZD 481.5K
336.87%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Souk Ahras
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,937
$30.65DZD 4,062
94.00%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.07฿1,142
$46.03DZD 6,101
-23.81%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,754
$79.2DZD 10.5K
45.47%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.1฿2,737
$78.8DZD 10.4K
6.66%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Souk Ahras
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$619฿20.1K
$197DZD 26.1K
214.42%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$433฿14.1K
$114DZD 15.2K
278.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,062฿67.2K
$305DZD 40.4K
576.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,511฿49.2K
$182DZD 24.1K
731.78%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,646฿118.7K
$1,133DZD 150.1K
221.86%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,626฿85.5K
$1,151DZD 152.5K
128.15%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Souk Ahras
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$507฿16.5K
$297DZD 39.4K
70.70%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
5.42
-1.66%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026
Last update for Souk Ahras: June 8, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $197 in Souk Ahras. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Phuket pays 71% 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: $47.00 in Phuket vs $11.00 in Souk Ahras for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $164 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 130% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Souk Ahras?
Phuket pays 71% more on average, 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: $619 in Phuket versus $197 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 $703 in Phuket versus $91.5 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 Souk Ahras?
Supermarket bills run roughly 79% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Souk Ahras?
At $547 in Souk Ahras versus $1,261 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 130% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.