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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Living in Tlemcen costs roughly 68% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.39 DZD 319

$4.41 ฿147

-45.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.09 DZD 2,283

$32.26 ฿1,077

-47.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.10 DZD 547

$8.93 ฿298

-54.09%

Cappuccino

$0.71 DZD 94.7

$2.90 ฿96.6

-75.52%

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

$0.69 DZD 92.4

$0.88 ฿29.38

-21.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 DZD 69.6

$0.48 ฿16.06

8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 DZD 137

$2.35 ฿78.5

-56.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 DZD 326

$3.72 ฿124

-34.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 DZD 120

$1.87 ฿62.3

-51.87%

White Bread (500g)

$0.14 DZD 18.46

$1.47 ฿48.94

-90.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 DZD 198

$1.55 ฿51.8

-4.52%

Eggs

$1.63 DZD 218

$2.10 ฿70.1

-22.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.14 DZD 1,355

$19.59 ฿654

-48.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.99 DZD 533

$3.42 ฿114

16.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.00 DZD 1,870

$11.38 ฿380

23.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 DZD 393

$2.98 ฿99.6

-1.34%

Banana (1kg)

$3.09 DZD 413

$1.68 ฿56.2

83.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 DZD 186

$2.21 ฿73.7

-37.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.97 DZD 129

$2.16 ฿72.1

-55.09%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 DZD 104

$1.52 ฿50.9

-49.34%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 DZD 84.1

$1.34 ฿44.67

-52.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 DZD 82.8

$1.13 ฿37.67

-45.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 DZD 53.7

$0.55 ฿18.24

-27.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.66 DZD 222

$4.26 ฿142

-61.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.36 DZD 1,384

$19.09 ฿637

-45.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 DZD 133

$1.78 ฿59.4

-43.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 DZD 149

$2.78 ฿92.9

-60.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.15 DZD 20.44

$2.23 ฿74.4

-93.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 DZD 126

$3.03 ฿101

-68.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 DZD 42.22

$1.02 ฿34.15

-68.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 DZD 317

$3.89 ฿130

-39.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.33 DZD 44.20

$1.49 ฿49.77

-77.85%

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

$16.5K DZD 2.2M

$26.6K ฿887.3K

-38.05%

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

$30.4K DZD 4.1M

$27.0K ฿902.2K

12.39%

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

$20.56 DZD 2,747

$102 ฿3,420

-79.94%

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

$8.04 DZD 1,074

$11.33 ฿378

-29.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.15 DZD 2,291

$17.40 ฿581

-1.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.22 DZD 2,835

$52.1 ฿1,738

-59.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 DZD 662

$7.69 ฿257

-35.63%

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

$39.66 DZD 5,298

$561 ฿18.7K

-92.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,310 DZD 442.1K

$11.5K ฿384.1K

-71.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.71 DZD 3,301

$63.0 ฿2,104

-60.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.97 DZD 5,607

$29.52 ฿986

42.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.95 DZD 4,669

$98.0 ฿3,272

-64.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.9 DZD 6,792

$88.5 ฿2,954

-42.54%

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)

$275 DZD 36.8K

$2,107 ฿70.3K

-86.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$155 DZD 20.6K

$1,226 ฿40.9K

-87.39%

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)

$253 DZD 33.8K

$494 ฿16.5K

-48.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

5.57

16.70%

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

Last update for Tlemcen: September 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 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: $17.00 in Tlemcen vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $198 vs $274 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

Tlemcen vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

On paper, salaries run 95% 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.

Childcare runs $39.66 in Tlemcen versus $561 in Phuket. 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, Tlemcen 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 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.