Cost of Living Comparison Between Sfax and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Sfax and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $607 in Sfax versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $984 in Sfax versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,360 in Sfax versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Sfax costs roughly 51% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sfax 55% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 TND 9.54

$4.55 ฿153

-25.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.38 TND 57.8

$46.18 ฿1,554

-55.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.30 TND 9.36

$8.84 ฿298

-62.67%

Cappuccino

$0.78 TND 2.20

$3.06 ฿103

-74.51%

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

$0.64 TND 1.83

$0.73 ฿24.42

-12.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 TND 0.71

$0.40 ฿13.40

-37.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.56 TND 4.41

$2.43 ฿81.8

-35.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 TND 5.43

$3.78 ฿127

-49.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.53 TND 1.51

$2.26 ฿76.0

-76.55%

White Bread (500g)

$0.16 TND 0.44

$1.81 ฿60.9

-91.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 TND 4.24

$2.25 ฿75.8

-33.33%

Eggs

$1.58 TND 4.49

$2.25 ฿75.6

-29.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.15 TND 31.59

$19.51 ฿656

-42.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.76 TND 16.31

$3.65 ฿123

57.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.29 TND 37.65

$13.05 ฿439

1.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 TND 6.32

$3.23 ฿109

-30.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.95 TND 8.37

$1.62 ฿54.4

82.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.05 TND 2.98

$2.38 ฿80.2

-55.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 TND 1.97

$2.03 ฿68.2

-66.01%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 TND 2.27

$1.53 ฿51.6

-47.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.77 TND 2.18

$1.50 ฿50.5

-48.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.51 TND 1.45

$0.98 ฿32.93

-47.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 TND 0.87

$0.52 ฿17.40

-40.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.60 TND 10.21

$4.44 ฿149

-18.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.65 TND 18.85

$18.32 ฿616

-63.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 TND 3.12

$1.86 ฿62.7

-40.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 TND 2.98

$2.68 ฿90.2

-60.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 TND 0.59

$1.41 ฿47.49

-85.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.10 TND 28.63

$11.70 ฿394

-13.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 TND 0.92

$3.11 ฿105

-89.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 TND 0.94

$1.04 ฿35.08

-68.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.59 TND 21.51

$14.11 ฿475

-46.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 TND 2.32

$1.31 ฿44.13

-37.40%

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

$36.3K TND 102.8K

$27.8K ฿936.0K

30.45%

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

$35.0K TND 99.3K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

5.51%

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

$45.93 TND 130

$122 ฿4,120

-62.49%

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

$9.42 TND 26.70

$13.59 ฿457

-30.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.56 TND 41.26

$18.70 ฿629

-22.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.04 TND 76.6

$60.5 ฿2,035

-55.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.49 TND 21.23

$16.98 ฿572

-55.89%

Cinema Ticket

$4.67 TND 13.25

$9.07 ฿305

-48.51%

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

$110 TND 312

$706 ฿23.8K

-84.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,482 TND 7,032

$15.8K ฿531.8K

-84.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.06 TND 125

$58.6 ฿1,970

-24.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.10 TND 125

$35.36 ฿1,190

24.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 TND 287

$115 ฿3,885

-12.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.1 TND 184

$83.7 ฿2,818

-22.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$187 TND 529

$626 ฿21.1K

-70.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$134 TND 378

$445 ฿15.0K

-70.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$336 TND 953

$2,040 ฿68.7K

-83.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$249 TND 706

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-83.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,017 TND 2,883

$3,483 ฿117.2K

-70.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$647 TND 1,833

$2,577 ฿86.7K

-74.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$327 TND 927

$500 ฿16.8K

-34.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.6

5.33

155.16%

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

Last update for Sfax: July 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $187 in Sfax and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 53% 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: $20.00 in Sfax vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $289 per month, with Sfax 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

Sfax vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sfax is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 106% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 53% lower in Phuket. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $187 in Sfax versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $110 in Sfax versus $706 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 53% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $607 in Sfax versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sfax but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Sfax the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Sfax 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, Sfax and Phuket 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 Sfax gentler on the wallet – expenses run 106% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.