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: $590 in Tlemcen versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $902 in Tlemcen versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,215 in Tlemcen versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Tlemcen costs roughly 53% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tlemcen 56% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.25 DZD 298

$4.56 ฿149

-50.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.25 DZD 1,623

$46.63 ฿1,519

-73.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.86 DZD 512

$8.47 ฿276

-54.43%

Cappuccino

$0.39 DZD 51.2

$3.03 ฿98.6

-87.13%

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

$0.51 DZD 67.2

$0.69 ฿22.45

-26.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 DZD 27.82

$0.37 ฿11.92

-43.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 DZD 252

$2.49 ฿81.0

-23.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 DZD 319

$3.66 ฿119

-34.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.67 DZD 89.4

$2.18 ฿71.0

-69.27%

White Bread (500g)

$0.16 DZD 21.23

$1.90 ฿62.0

-91.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 DZD 249

$2.20 ฿71.6

-14.55%

Eggs

$1.77 DZD 234

$2.22 ฿72.4

-20.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.74 DZD 1,158

$19.99 ฿651

-56.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.60 DZD 478

$3.66 ฿119

-1.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.16 DZD 1,744

$13.25 ฿432

-0.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 DZD 322

$3.23 ฿105

-24.77%

Banana (1kg)

$3.30 DZD 437

$1.70 ฿55.3

94.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 DZD 212

$2.39 ฿78.0

-33.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.61 DZD 80.8

$2.08 ฿67.7

-70.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.48 DZD 63.2

$1.59 ฿51.8

-69.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 DZD 72.4

$1.48 ฿48.31

-62.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 DZD 99.4

$1.03 ฿33.54

-27.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 DZD 47.89

$0.52 ฿16.83

-30.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 DZD 313

$4.25 ฿138

-44.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.04 DZD 1,331

$18.79 ฿612

-46.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 DZD 177

$1.76 ฿57.2

-23.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 DZD 279

$2.76 ฿89.8

-23.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 DZD 24.10

$1.36 ฿44.32

-86.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.11 DZD 2,267

$11.36 ฿370

50.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 DZD 91.9

$3.14 ฿102

-78.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 DZD 44.81

$1.04 ฿33.74

-67.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.44 DZD 721

$13.77 ฿448

-60.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.30 DZD 40.30

$1.34 ฿43.79

-77.61%

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

$32.6K DZD 4.3M

$27.7K ฿901.4K

17.62%

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

$33.9K DZD 4.5M

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-0.04%

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

$49.93 DZD 6,617

$124 ฿4,025

-59.60%

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

$7.80 DZD 1,034

$13.52 ฿440

-42.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.26 DZD 2,288

$18.69 ฿609

-7.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.23 DZD 3,079

$61.8 ฿2,013

-62.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$5.55 DZD 736

$9.14 ฿298

-39.28%

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

$94.8 DZD 12.6K

$703 ฿22.9K

-86.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,538 DZD 468.9K

$15.9K ฿517.0K

-77.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.30 DZD 4,811

$59.5 ฿1,937

-38.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.12 DZD 5,980

$35.07 ฿1,142

28.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.3 DZD 9,853

$115 ฿3,754

-35.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.3 DZD 10.4K

$84.1 ฿2,737

-6.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$194 DZD 25.7K

$619 ฿20.1K

-68.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 DZD 15.3K

$433 ฿14.1K

-73.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$278 DZD 36.8K

$2,062 ฿67.2K

-86.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 DZD 24.1K

$1,511 ฿49.2K

-87.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$249 DZD 33.0K

$507 ฿16.5K

-50.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.42

5.33

1.69%

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

Last update for Tlemcen: June 8, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $194 in Tlemcen and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 104% 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: $12.00 in Tlemcen vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $189 vs $293 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 114% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Phuket earns 104% less. 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 Tlemcen versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $94.8 in Tlemcen versus $703 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 55% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $590 in Tlemcen versus $1,261 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 114% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.