Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and SousseCost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Sousse
Monthly Cost of Living
😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $710 in Sousse.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,145 in Sousse.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,580 in Sousse.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 78% more expensive than Sousse, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket6% lower, Sousse47% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Sousse
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70฿153
$3.84TND 11.10
22.40%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37฿1,482
$23.99TND 69.3
89.12%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.43฿275
$5.18TND 14.97
62.74%
Cappuccino
$2.93฿95.6
$0.96TND 2.78
205.21%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.40
$0.70TND 2.04
-1.43%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.99
$0.29TND 0.83
27.59%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.41฿78.6
$1.17TND 3.38
105.98%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿122
$1.60TND 4.62
132.50%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Sousse
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.23฿72.9
$0.50TND 1.45
346.00%
White Bread(500g)
$1.83฿59.8
$0.18TND 0.52
916.67%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.17฿70.8
$1.32TND 3.83
64.39%
Eggs
$2.21฿72.3
$1.74TND 5.03
27.01%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.74฿645
$11.93TND 34.49
65.47%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿119
$5.57TND 16.09
-34.83%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.53฿442
$13.79TND 39.85
-1.89%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28฿107
$1.56TND 4.52
110.26%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61฿52.6
$3.20TND 9.24
-49.69%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿78.6
$0.92TND 2.66
161.96%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.1
$0.63TND 1.81
230.16%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿49.93
$0.65TND 1.88
135.38%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.36
$0.64TND 1.84
131.25%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99฿32.29
$0.44TND 1.27
125.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.67
$0.32TND 0.93
59.38%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿144
$3.52TND 10.18
25.28%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.38฿633
$5.16TND 14.92
275.58%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$1.19TND 3.44
49.58%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71฿88.6
$1.08TND 3.13
150.93%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Sousse
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.37฿44.79
$0.30TND 0.88
356.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.39฿372
$10.08TND 29.12
13.00%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.02฿98.6
$0.32TND 0.92
843.75%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.99฿32.48
$0.48TND 1.40
106.25%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.10฿461
$5.95TND 17.19
136.97%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36฿44.51
$0.88TND 2.54
54.55%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K฿921.1K
$47.1KTND 136.0K
-40.08%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$35.6KTND 102.7K
-7.45%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Sousse
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,975
$65.4TND 189
86.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿443
$11.03TND 31.89
23.03%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31฿598
$18.56TND 53.6
-1.35%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Sousse
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.2฿1,967
$27.23TND 78.7
121.15%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14฿560
$26.80TND 77.4
-36.04%
Cinema Ticket
$8.69฿284
$6.61TND 19.11
31.47%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Sousse
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$693฿22.6K
$105TND 304
558.40%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.7K฿512.3K
$3,235TND 9,349
384.94%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Sousse
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,944
$41.75TND 121
42.59%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77฿1,136
$60.2TND 174
-42.26%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,743
$150TND 432
-23.40%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3฿2,720
$81.7TND 236
1.90%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Sousse
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$613฿20.0K
$244TND 704
151.80%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437฿14.3K
$167TND 482
161.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,094฿68.4K
$437TND 1,263
379.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509฿49.3K
$324TND 938
365.26%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,749฿122.5K
$1,001TND 2,893
274.60%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,616฿85.4K
$648TND 1,872
303.88%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Sousse
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.6K
$393TND 1,136
29.27%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
12
-55.58%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Last update for Sousse: June 1, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $244 in Sousse. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Phuket pays 29% 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: $45.00 in Phuket vs $24.00 in Sousse for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $185 per month, with Sousse 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 Sousse: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sousse cheaper than Phuket?
Sousse is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 78% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Sousse?
Phuket pays 29% 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 Sousse?
Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $244 in Sousse. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $105 in Sousse. 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 Sousse?
Supermarket bills run roughly 58% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for Phuket or Sousse?
At $710 in Sousse versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sousse but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Sousse the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Sousse more family-friendly?
For families, Sousse 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 Sousse?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Sousse 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 Sousse gentler on the wallet – expenses run 78% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.