🙂A single person spends $574 per month in Ad Diwaniyah vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $882 per month in Ad Diwaniyah vs $2,054 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,189 per month in Ad Diwaniyah vs $2,876 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂Ad Diwaniyah is about 53% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Ad Diwaniyah and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Ad Diwaniyah58% lower, Phuket10% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ad Diwaniyah
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.32IQD 4,342
$4.41฿147
-24.72%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$11.67IQD 15.3K
$32.26฿1,077
-63.83%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.38IQD 7,041
$8.93฿298
-39.75%
Cappuccino
$1.95IQD 2,559
$2.90฿96.6
-32.76%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37IQD 481
$0.88฿29.38
-57.95%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.26IQD 343
$0.48฿16.06
-45.83%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.91IQD 5,121
$2.35฿78.5
66.38%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.84IQD 5,024
$3.72฿124
3.23%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ad Diwaniyah
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.04IQD 1,368
$1.87฿62.3
-44.39%
White Bread(500g)
$0.75IQD 981
$1.47฿48.94
-48.98%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.37IQD 1,796
$1.55฿51.8
-11.61%
Eggs
$1.91IQD 2,495
$2.10฿70.1
-9.05%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$3.93IQD 5,152
$19.59฿654
-79.94%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.73IQD 4,882
$3.42฿114
9.06%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.42IQD 14.9K
$11.38฿380
0.35%
Apples(1kg)
$0.73IQD 958
$2.98฿99.6
-75.50%
Banana(1kg)
$0.78IQD 1,020
$1.68฿56.2
-53.57%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.79IQD 1,037
$2.21฿73.7
-64.25%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.78IQD 1,027
$2.16฿72.1
-63.89%
Potato(1kg)
$0.70IQD 922
$1.52฿50.9
-53.95%
Onion(1kg)
$0.64IQD 838
$1.34฿44.67
-52.24%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.39IQD 514
$1.13฿37.67
-65.49%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.65IQD 854
$0.55฿18.24
18.18%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.80IQD 2,356
$4.26฿142
-57.75%
Wine(Bottle)
$3.79IQD 4,966
$19.09฿637
-80.15%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.14IQD 2,798
$1.78฿59.4
20.22%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.17IQD 2,841
$2.78฿92.9
-21.94%
🚌 Getting Around
Ad Diwaniyah
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$2.23฿74.4
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$22.74฿759
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.35IQD 3,083
$3.03฿101
-22.44%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00IQD 1,306
$1.02฿34.15
-1.96%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.58IQD 9,930
$3.89฿130
94.86%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.33IQD 430
$1.49฿49.77
-77.85%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.9KIQD 24.8M
$26.6K฿887.3K
-28.78%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$18.9KIQD 24.7M
$27.0K฿902.2K
-30.22%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ad Diwaniyah
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$37.82IQD 49.5K
$102฿3,420
-63.09%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.08IQD 22.4K
$11.33฿378
50.75%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$38.02IQD 49.8K
$17.40฿581
118.51%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ad Diwaniyah
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$18.73IQD 24.5K
$52.1฿1,738
-64.04%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.76IQD 10.2K
$11.07฿370
-29.90%
Cinema Ticket
$7.56IQD 9,897
$7.69฿257
-1.69%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ad Diwaniyah
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$74.9IQD 98.1K
$561฿18.7K
-86.64%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$3,527IQD 4.6M
$11.5K฿384.1K
-69.34%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ad Diwaniyah
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$29.14IQD 38.2K
$63.0฿2,104
-53.77%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.50IQD 49.1K
$29.52฿986
27.03%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$72.8IQD 95.3K
$98.0฿3,272
-25.76%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$47.48IQD 62.2K
$88.5฿2,954
-46.35%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ad Diwaniyah
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$76.5IQD 100.2K
$738฿24.6K
-89.63%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$114IQD 149.8K
$482฿16.1K
-76.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$154IQD 201.7K
$2,107฿70.3K
-92.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$226IQD 295.9K
$1,226฿40.9K
-81.57%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,617฿120.7K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,603฿86.9K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ad Diwaniyah
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$387IQD 507.4K
$494฿16.5K
-21.51%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.12
5.57
-26.03%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Ad Diwaniyah: September 13, 2026
Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $76.5 in Ad Diwaniyah versus $738 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
💰Salaries run about 27% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in Ad Diwaniyah versus $32.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $147 vs $274 – making Ad Diwaniyah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
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
Ad Diwaniyah vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Ad Diwaniyah?
Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 114%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $862 per month in Ad Diwaniyah and $1,847 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Ad Diwaniyah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Ad Diwaniyah and in Phuket?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $574 in Ad Diwaniyah and $1,232 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $74.9 per month in Ad Diwaniyah and $561 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Ad Diwaniyah or in Phuket?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ad Diwaniyah, where all-in costs run around $574, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Ad Diwaniyah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Ad Diwaniyah or Phuket more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Ad Diwaniyah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Ad Diwaniyah or Phuket?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Ad Diwaniyah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Ad Diwaniyah vs other spots: cost of living compared