Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Souk Ahras

For one person, living is cheaper in Souk Ahras: $495 a month against $1,294 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $9,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Souk Ahras, Algeria
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,294
/mo nomad
Souk Ahras
🇩🇿 Algeria
$495
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Souk Ahras

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,294 in Phuket versus $495 in Souk Ahras.

  • Phuket $1,294
  • Souk Ahras $495

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,204 in Phuket versus $777 in Souk Ahras.

  • Phuket $2,204
  • Souk Ahras $777

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,115 in Phuket versus $1,059 in Souk Ahras.

  • Phuket $3,115
  • Souk Ahras $1,059

Living in Phuket is roughly 161% more expensive than in Souk Ahras, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 4% lower, Souk Ahras 63% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Souk Ahras
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.39 ฿148
$2.37 DZD 321
85.23%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.31 ฿1,090
$10.21 DZD 1,382
216.45%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.70 ฿294
$3.82 DZD 517
127.75%
Cappuccino
$2.72 ฿91.9
$0.68 DZD 92.2
300.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.93 ฿31.39
$0.52 DZD 71.0
78.85%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.50 ฿16.85
$0.24 DZD 32.40
108.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.53 ฿85.4
$1.51 DZD 204
67.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63 ฿122
$2.12 DZD 288
71.23%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Souk Ahras
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.74 ฿58.7
$0.78 DZD 106
123.08%
White Bread (500g)
$1.45 ฿48.95
$0.19 DZD 26.23
663.16%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.7
$1.26 DZD 170
19.05%
Eggs
$2.17 ฿73.3
$1.19 DZD 161
82.35%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.09 ฿644
$3.21 DZD 435
494.70%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.40 ฿115
$2.71 DZD 367
25.46%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.90 ฿368
$16.38 DZD 2,218
-33.46%
Apples (1kg)
$2.94 ฿99.2
$1.49 DZD 202
97.32%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿57.1
$2.97 DZD 402
-43.10%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.19 ฿74.0
$1.11 DZD 150
97.30%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 ฿71.7
$0.92 DZD 124
130.43%
Potato (1kg)
$1.46 ฿49.21
$0.42 DZD 57.2
247.62%
Onion (1kg)
$1.37 ฿46.15
$0.38 DZD 50.9
260.53%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 ฿36.30
$0.24 DZD 32.61
350.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 ฿18.41
$0.28 DZD 38.35
96.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.43 ฿149
$2.14 DZD 290
107.01%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.25 ฿616
$6.56 DZD 888
178.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 ฿59.8
$1.22 DZD 165
45.08%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 ฿97.2
$1.88 DZD 254
53.19%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Souk Ahras
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿48.84
$0.21 DZD 28.73
590.48%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.9 ฿1,852
$6.74 DZD 912
714.39%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.51 ฿51.0
$0.54 DZD 73.7
179.63%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.78 ฿26.18
$0.52 DZD 70.9
50.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.84 ฿130
$5.32 DZD 721
-27.82%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.49 ฿50.2
$0.32 DZD 43.72
365.62%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.9K ฿907.0K
$32.0K DZD 4.3M
-15.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.3K ฿888.9K
$34.4K DZD 4.7M
-23.35%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Souk Ahras
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$97.8 ฿3,300
$36.42 DZD 4,929
168.56%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.29 ฿381
$9.38 DZD 1,269
20.36%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.19 ฿580
$19.57 DZD 2,649
-12.16%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Souk Ahras
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$68.3 ฿2,305
$11.72 DZD 1,586
483.02%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.92 ฿368
$3.82 DZD 517
185.86%
Cinema Ticket
$7.43 ฿251
$4.59 DZD 621
61.87%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Souk Ahras
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$530 ฿17.9K
$88.2 DZD 11.9K
501.26%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.8K ฿633.7K
$4,762 DZD 644.6K
294.40%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Souk Ahras
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$61.7 ฿2,081
$29.37 DZD 3,975
109.98%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.25 ฿953
$34.36 DZD 4,651
-17.78%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.0 ฿3,239
$78.3 DZD 10.6K
22.62%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.8 ฿2,929
$77.1 DZD 10.4K
12.64%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Souk Ahras
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$721 ฿24.3K
$144 DZD 19.5K
399.46%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$509 ฿17.2K
$90.7 DZD 12.3K
460.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,950 ฿65.8K
$287 DZD 38.9K
579.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,397 ฿47.1K
$173 DZD 23.4K
708.48%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,192 ฿141.4K
$953 DZD 129.0K
340.00%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,298 ฿111.3K
$1,046 DZD 141.6K
215.22%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Souk Ahras
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$492 ฿16.6K
$285 DZD 38.5K
72.69%
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: November 2, 2026

Last update for Souk Ahras: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$509
Souk Ahras
$91 82.2% $418
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$267
Souk Ahras
$156 41.7% $111
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$126
Souk Ahras
$65 48.2% $61
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$123
Souk Ahras
$99 19.7% $24
Eating Out
Phuket
$120
Souk Ahras
$53 55.3% $66
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$83
Souk Ahras
$21 74.9% $62
Getting Around
Phuket
$66
Souk Ahras
$11 83.7% $55

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $721 in Phuket and $144 in Souk Ahras. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 73% 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 in Phuket vs $10 in Souk Ahras for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $156 per month, with Souk Ahras cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇩🇿 Souk Ahras
🕒 Local time
04:22 4:22 AM
22:22 10:22 PM
6 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
155,259
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

DZD, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.73 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Algerian Dinar exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 135 DZD (1,000 DZD = 7.39 USD). 1 EUR = 151 DZD (1,000 DZD = 6.61 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Souk Ahras 9,530 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Souk Ahras

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 Souk Ahras: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Souk Ahras cheaper than Phuket?
Souk Ahras is about 62% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and leisure. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Souk Ahras?
Average pay runs 73% 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: $721 in Phuket versus $144 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 $530 in Phuket versus $88 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 72% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Souk Ahras?
At $495 in Souk Ahras versus $1,294 in Phuket, a $1,000 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 it better to live in Phuket or in Souk Ahras?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Souk Ahras?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Souk Ahras are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Souk Ahras gentler on the wallet – expenses run 62% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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