Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Hillah and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Al Hillah: $693 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $7,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

34

Cost of Living Index in Al Hillah
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Al Hillah Living Index
62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index

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Al Hillah

🇮🇶 Iraq

$693

/mo nomad

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Al Hillah and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Al Hillah and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $693 per month in Al Hillah vs $1,278 in Phuket, rent included.

Al Hillah $693
Phuket $1,278

A couple spends around $1,067 per month in Al Hillah vs $2,216 in Phuket, rent included.

Al Hillah $1,067
Phuket $2,216

A family of three spends $1,442 per month in Al Hillah vs $3,154 in Phuket, rent included.

Al Hillah $1,442
Phuket $3,154

Al Hillah is about 46% cheaper than Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Al Hillah and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Al Hillah 49% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.69 IQD 7,083

$4.47 ฿151

4.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.52 IQD 40.1K

$32.41 ฿1,094

-18.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.51 IQD 8,326

$8.81 ฿297

-37.46%

Cappuccino

$2.69 IQD 4,068

$2.83 ฿95.4

-4.95%

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

$0.34 IQD 519

$0.87 ฿29.42

-60.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 309

$0.49 ฿16.66

-59.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 IQD 4,121

$2.56 ฿86.3

6.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 IQD 5,063

$3.68 ฿124

-8.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 IQD 1,463

$1.66 ฿56.0

-41.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.64 IQD 963

$1.46 ฿49.32

-56.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 IQD 2,080

$1.50 ฿50.5

-8.00%

Eggs

$1.54 IQD 2,330

$2.09 ฿70.5

-26.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.36 IQD 5,083

$19.07 ฿643

-82.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.01 IQD 6,065

$3.30 ฿111

21.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.29 IQD 18.6K

$10.91 ฿368

12.65%

Apples (1kg)

$0.96 IQD 1,450

$2.93 ฿98.9

-67.24%

Banana (1kg)

$0.95 IQD 1,443

$1.69 ฿57.0

-43.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.90 IQD 1,367

$2.25 ฿75.8

-60.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 1,032

$2.08 ฿70.1

-67.31%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 IQD 883

$1.51 ฿51.0

-61.59%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 IQD 912

$1.38 ฿46.54

-56.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 IQD 786

$1.07 ฿35.97

-51.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 IQD 780

$0.52 ฿17.51

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.66 IQD 2,515

$4.20 ฿142

-60.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.71 IQD 17.7K

$18.79 ฿634

-37.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 IQD 2,876

$1.82 ฿61.5

4.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 IQD 2,966

$2.84 ฿95.9

-30.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 IQD 518

$1.45 ฿49.00

-76.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.0 IQD 83.1K

$56.7 ฿1,912

-2.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 IQD 2,968

$3.02 ฿102

-35.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 IQD 1,939

$1.02 ฿34.34

25.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 IQD 4,506

$3.69 ฿125

-19.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 IQD 757

$1.47 ฿49.78

-65.99%

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

$14.8K IQD 22.4M

$26.8K ฿903.7K

-44.59%

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

$16.6K IQD 25.1M

$26.7K ฿900.8K

-37.81%

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

$65.1 IQD 98.3K

$96.4 ฿3,252

-32.46%

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

$13.34 IQD 20.2K

$11.26 ฿380

18.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.35 IQD 50.4K

$16.85 ฿569

97.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.62 IQD 29.7K

$67.2 ฿2,269

-70.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.36 IQD 24.7K

$10.73 ฿362

52.47%

Cinema Ticket

$6.44 IQD 9,724

$7.50 ฿253

-14.13%

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

$81.2 IQD 122.6K

$476 ฿16.1K

-82.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$664 IQD 1.0M

$11.3K ฿380.1K

-94.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.98 IQD 28.7K

$62.4 ฿2,105

-69.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.34 IQD 32.2K

$28.41 ฿959

-24.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.8 IQD 87.4K

$94.3 ฿3,182

-38.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.36 IQD 64.0K

$85.8 ฿2,896

-50.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$245 IQD 369.5K

$716 ฿24.2K

-65.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$151 IQD 228.6K

$491 ฿16.6K

-69.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$436 IQD 659.1K

$1,927 ฿65.0K

-77.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$258 IQD 389.8K

$1,431 ฿48.3K

-81.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,477 IQD 2.2M

$4,175 ฿140.9K

-64.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$483 IQD 729.4K

$3,045 ฿102.8K

-84.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$436 IQD 659.3K

$502 ฿17.0K

-13.13%

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 Al Hillah: October 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Al Hillah

$160 23.2%

Phuket

$266 20.8% 66% $106

Accommodation & Living

Al Hillah

$151 21.8%

Phuket

$491 38.4% 224% $340

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Al Hillah

$112 16.1%

Phuket

$124 9.7% 11.4% $13

Eating Out

Al Hillah

$109 15.7%

Phuket

$122 9.5% 11.8% $13

Getting Around

Al Hillah

$65 9.4%

Phuket

$71 5.5% 9% $5.8

Clothing & Footwear

Al Hillah

$63 9.1%

Phuket

$122 9.5% 92.8% $59

Sport & Entertainment

Al Hillah

$32 4.7%

Phuket

$82 6.4% 153% $50

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $245 in Al Hillah versus $716 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 15% 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 $27 in Al Hillah versus $32 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $160 vs $266 – making Al Hillah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇮🇶 Al Hillah

🇹🇭 Phuket

🕒 Local time

06:07 6:07 AM

10:07 10:07 AM

4 h ahead of Al Hillah

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,729,666

79,308

💱 Currency

Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.93 EUR

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to IQD – Iraqi Dinar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇶 Iraqi Dinar (ع.د)

Iraqi Dinar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 1,511 IQD (10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD). 1 EUR = 1,687 IQD (10,000 IQD = 5.93 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.68 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

USD to IQD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Al Hillah Phuket 6,180 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Al Hillah
Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Al Hillah vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 84%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,039 per month in Al Hillah and $1,917 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Al Hillah, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $245 there versus $716 in Phuket.

Public transport costs about 3% less in Al Hillah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $81 per month in Al Hillah and $476 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Al Hillah, where all-in costs run around $693, than in Phuket at $1,278. In Al Hillah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Al Hillah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Al Hillah. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.