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: $649 in Sfax versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,001 in Sfax versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,353 in Sfax versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in Sfax costs roughly 48% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sfax 53% lower, Phuket 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.43 TND 9.92

$4.56 ฿150

-24.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.68 TND 59.8

$32.62 ฿1,073

-36.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.04 TND 14.57

$8.90 ฿293

-43.37%

Cappuccino

$0.76 TND 2.21

$2.80 ฿92.2

-72.86%

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

$0.60 TND 1.74

$0.88 ฿28.94

-31.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 TND 0.79

$0.49 ฿16.08

-44.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 TND 4.55

$2.39 ฿78.5

-34.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 TND 6.08

$3.71 ฿122

-43.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.51 TND 1.48

$1.79 ฿58.8

-71.51%

White Bread (500g)

$0.23 TND 0.66

$1.44 ฿47.40

-84.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 TND 4.02

$1.58 ฿52.1

-12.03%

Eggs

$1.67 TND 4.82

$2.13 ฿69.9

-21.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.84 TND 37.12

$19.92 ฿655

-35.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 TND 16.45

$3.43 ฿113

65.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.27 TND 41.28

$11.33 ฿372

25.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.79 TND 5.17

$2.95 ฿97.0

-39.32%

Banana (1kg)

$3.24 TND 9.36

$1.72 ฿56.6

88.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.08 TND 3.12

$2.32 ฿76.5

-53.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 TND 2.14

$2.08 ฿68.4

-64.42%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 TND 2.21

$1.47 ฿48.34

-48.30%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 TND 2.25

$1.36 ฿44.65

-42.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 TND 1.71

$1.10 ฿36.13

-46.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 TND 0.94

$0.57 ฿18.89

-42.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 TND 11.47

$4.27 ฿140

-7.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.64 TND 19.20

$18.42 ฿606

-63.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 TND 3.31

$1.87 ฿61.5

-38.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 TND 3.21

$2.92 ฿96.1

-61.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 TND 0.50

$2.22 ฿73.0

-92.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.28 TND 29.72

$22.90 ฿753

-55.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.31 TND 0.89

$3.03 ฿99.6

-89.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 TND 1.02

$1.07 ฿35.32

-67.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.73 TND 22.36

$3.93 ฿129

96.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 TND 2.59

$1.49 ฿49.06

-39.60%

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

$37.1K TND 107.3K

$27.1K ฿892.0K

36.81%

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

$35.3K TND 102.0K

$27.5K ฿902.6K

28.51%

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

$46.02 TND 133

$103 ฿3,380

-55.23%

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

$9.74 TND 28.16

$10.99 ฿361

-11.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.80 TND 42.80

$17.51 ฿576

-15.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.02 TND 81.1

$53.5 ฿1,760

-47.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.20 TND 20.83

$11.20 ฿368

-35.71%

Cinema Ticket

$4.59 TND 13.28

$7.48 ฿246

-38.64%

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

$99.7 TND 288

$557 ฿18.3K

-82.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,463 TND 7,124

$11.9K ฿389.7K

-79.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.92 TND 124

$64.1 ฿2,107

-33.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.95 TND 107

$29.07 ฿956

27.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 TND 336

$96.0 ฿3,155

21.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.6 TND 195

$90.3 ฿2,970

-25.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$194 TND 562

$730 ฿24.0K

-73.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$140 TND 406

$500 ฿16.4K

-71.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$339 TND 982

$2,090 ฿68.7K

-83.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$217 TND 626

$1,209 ฿39.8K

-82.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,037 TND 2,998

$3,596 ฿118.2K

-71.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$746 TND 2,159

$2,512 ฿82.6K

-70.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$332 TND 960

$503 ฿16.6K

-34.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.6

5.57

144.17%

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

Last update for Sfax: August 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $194 in Sfax and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 52% 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: $21.00 in Sfax vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $197 vs $273 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 93% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 52% 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: $194 in Sfax versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $99.7 in Sfax versus $557 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 39% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $649 in Sfax versus $1,253 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 93% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.