For one person, living is cheaper in Safi: $588 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $8,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Safi and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $588 in Safi versus $1,278 in Phuket.
Safi $588
Phuket $1,278
Estimated couple costs with rent: $904 in Safi versus $2,216 in Phuket.
Safi $904
Phuket $2,216
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,221 in Safi versus $3,154 in Phuket.
Safi $1,221
Phuket $3,154
🌍
Living in Safi costs roughly 54% less than in Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.
📊
Both cities sit below the global median: Safi57% lower, Phuket6% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Safi
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.13MAD 30.76
$4.47฿151
-29.98%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.10MAD 178
$32.41฿1,093
-44.15%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.06MAD 59.6
$8.81฿297
-31.21%
Cappuccino
$1.49MAD 14.68
$2.83฿95.4
-47.35%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.46MAD 4.51
$0.87฿29.41
-47.13%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.34MAD 3.30
$0.49฿16.65
-30.61%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.58MAD 15.49
$2.56฿86.3
-38.28%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50MAD 14.77
$3.68฿124
-59.24%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Safi
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.82MAD 8.08
$1.66฿55.9
-50.60%
White Bread(500g)
$0.49MAD 4.84
$1.46฿49.31
-66.44%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.58MAD 15.54
$1.50฿50.5
5.33%
Eggs
$1.66MAD 16.31
$2.09฿70.5
-20.57%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$6.63MAD 65.2
$19.07฿643
-65.23%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.71MAD 65.9
$3.30฿111
103.33%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.50MAD 83.6
$10.91฿368
-22.09%
Apples(1kg)
$1.16MAD 11.43
$2.93฿98.9
-60.41%
Banana(1kg)
$1.14MAD 11.24
$1.69฿57.0
-32.54%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.76MAD 7.45
$2.25฿75.8
-66.22%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.71MAD 6.96
$2.08฿70.0
-65.87%
Potato(1kg)
$0.60MAD 5.86
$1.51฿51.0
-60.26%
Onion(1kg)
$0.77MAD 7.61
$1.38฿46.52
-44.20%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.39MAD 3.85
$1.07฿35.96
-63.55%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.61MAD 5.98
$0.52฿17.51
17.31%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.68MAD 36.14
$4.20฿142
-12.38%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.57MAD 74.4
$18.79฿634
-59.71%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.90MAD 18.67
$1.82฿61.5
4.40%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80MAD 17.71
$2.84฿95.8
-36.62%
🚌 Getting Around
Safi
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.45MAD 4.41
$1.45฿48.98
-68.97%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$10.21MAD 100
$56.7฿1,912
-81.98%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.68MAD 6.64
$3.02฿102
-77.48%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.49MAD 4.79
$1.02฿34.33
-51.96%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.95MAD 58.5
$3.69฿125
61.25%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.49MAD 14.63
$1.47฿49.76
1.36%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.8KMAD 302.4K
$26.8K฿903.4K
14.89%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.5KMAD 319.4K
$26.7K฿900.5K
21.74%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Safi
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$35.26MAD 347
$96.4฿3,251
-63.40%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.00MAD 98.3
$11.26฿380
-11.19%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.24MAD 337
$16.85฿568
103.20%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Safi
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$18.60MAD 183
$67.2฿2,268
-72.33%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$5.14MAD 50.6
$10.73฿362
-52.10%
Cinema Ticket
$3.58MAD 35.24
$7.50฿253
-52.27%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Safi
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$96.0MAD 943
$476฿16.1K
-79.84%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$3,608MAD 35.5K
$11.3K฿380.0K
-67.96%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Safi
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$38.78MAD 381
$62.4฿2,104
-37.81%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.65MAD 321
$28.41฿958
14.92%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$92.6MAD 910
$94.3฿3,181
-1.79%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$35.25MAD 347
$85.8฿2,895
-58.92%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Safi
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$278MAD 2,734
$716฿24.2K
-61.15%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$138MAD 1,355
$491฿16.6K
-71.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$464MAD 4,557
$1,927฿65.0K
-75.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$234MAD 2,300
$1,431฿48.3K
-83.64%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$884MAD 8,687
$4,175฿140.9K
-78.83%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$551MAD 5,413
$3,045฿102.7K
-81.91%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Safi
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$445MAD 4,374
$502฿16.9K
-11.41%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.55
5.57
-18.31%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Safi: October 24, 2026
Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🛒Groceries & Markets
Safi
$165 28%
Phuket
$266 20.8% ↑ 61.6%$102
🏠Accommodation & Living
Safi
$138 23.5%
Phuket
$491 38.4% ↑ 256%$353
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Safi
$90 15.3%
Phuket
$122 9.5% ↑ 35.9%$32
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Safi
$80 13.5%
Phuket
$124 9.7% ↑ 56.6%$45
🍽Eating Out
Safi
$75 12.8%
Phuket
$122 9.5% ↑ 61.8%$47
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Safi
$26 4.4%
Phuket
$82 6.4% ↑ 219%$56
🚌Getting Around
Safi
$15 2.6%
Phuket
$71 5.5% ↑ 367%$55
🛒Groceries & Markets
Safi
$374 30.6%
Phuket
$600 19% ↑ 60.4%$226
🏠Accommodation & Living
Safi
$234 19.2%
Phuket
$1.4K 45.4% ↑ 511%$1.2K
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Safi
$199 16.3%
Phuket
$271 8.6% ↑ 35.9%$72
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Safi
$90 7.3%
Phuket
$136 4.3% ↑ 51.7%$46
🍽Eating Out
Safi
$236 19.4%
Phuket
$398 12.6% ↑ 68.3%$161
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Safi
$57 4.6%
Phuket
$175 5.6% ↑ 209%$119
🚌Getting Around
Safi
$31 2.6%
Phuket
$144 4.6% ↑ 363%$113
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $278 in Safi and $716 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Phuket pays 13% 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: $18 in Safi vs $32 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $165 vs $266 per month, with Safi cheaper across the board.
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
Safi vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Safi cheaper than Phuket?
Safi is about 54% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, leisure, and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Safi or Phuket?
On paper, salaries run 11% lower in Safi. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Safi and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $278 in Safi versus $716 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $96 in Safi versus $476 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Safi and in Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 62% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,200 a realistic budget for living in Safi or in Phuket?
At $588 in Safi versus $1,278 in Phuket, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Safi but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Safi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Safi or in Phuket?
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, Safi or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Safi and Phuket 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 Safi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 54% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.