Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Tlemcen Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Tlemcen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $400 in Tlemcen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $735 in Tlemcen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $1,070 in Tlemcen.

Living in Phuket is roughly 208% more expensive than in Tlemcen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Tlemcen 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$2.39 DZD 319

84.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$17.09 DZD 2,283

88.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$4.10 DZD 547

117.80%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$0.71 DZD 94.7

308.45%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 ฿29.38

$0.69 DZD 92.4

27.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.52 DZD 69.6

-7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$1.02 DZD 137

130.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$2.44 DZD 326

52.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$0.90 DZD 120

107.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$0.14 DZD 18.46

950.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.48 DZD 198

4.73%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$1.63 DZD 218

28.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$10.14 DZD 1,355

93.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$3.99 DZD 533

-14.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$14.00 DZD 1,870

-18.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$2.94 DZD 393

1.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$3.09 DZD 413

-45.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$1.39 DZD 186

58.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$0.97 DZD 129

122.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$0.77 DZD 104

97.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$0.63 DZD 84.1

112.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$0.62 DZD 82.8

82.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.40 DZD 53.7

37.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$1.66 DZD 222

156.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$10.36 DZD 1,384

84.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$1.00 DZD 133

78.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$1.11 DZD 149

150.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$0.15 DZD 20.44

1386.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$0.94 DZD 126

222.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$0.32 DZD 42.22

218.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$2.37 DZD 317

64.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$0.33 DZD 44.20

351.52%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$16.5K DZD 2.2M

61.42%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$30.4K DZD 4.1M

-11.02%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$102 ฿3,420

$20.56 DZD 2,747

398.39%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$11.33 ฿378

$8.04 DZD 1,074

40.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$17.15 DZD 2,291

1.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$21.22 DZD 2,835

145.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$4.95 DZD 662

55.35%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$561 ฿18.7K

$39.66 DZD 5,298

1313.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$3,310 DZD 442.1K

247.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$24.71 DZD 3,301

155.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$41.97 DZD 5,607

-29.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$34.95 DZD 4,669

180.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$50.9 DZD 6,792

74.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$275 DZD 36.8K

665.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$155 DZD 20.6K

693.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$253 DZD 33.8K

95.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.5

-14.31%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Tlemcen: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Phuket pays 95% 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 $17.00 in Tlemcen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $198 per month, with Tlemcen 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 Tlemcen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tlemcen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 208% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 95% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $39.66 in Tlemcen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Tlemcen – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $400 in Tlemcen versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Tlemcen but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Tlemcen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Tlemcen 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.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Tlemcen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Tlemcen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 208% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.