Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-mawsil and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Al-mawsil: $598 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $8,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

29

Cost of Living Index in Al-mawsil
Learn more

Al-mawsil Living Index
62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
Learn more

Phuket Living Index

Jump to prices

Al-mawsil

🇮🇶 Iraq

$598

/mo nomad

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Al-mawsil 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-mawsil and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $598 in Al-mawsil versus $1,278 in Phuket.

Al-mawsil $598
Phuket $1,278

Estimated couple costs with rent: $903 in Al-mawsil versus $2,216 in Phuket.

Al-mawsil $903
Phuket $2,216

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,207 in Al-mawsil versus $3,154 in Phuket.

Al-mawsil $1,207
Phuket $3,154

Living in Al-mawsil costs roughly 53% less than in Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al-mawsil 56% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.07 IQD 6,148

$4.47 ฿151

-8.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.40 IQD 15.7K

$32.41 ฿1,093

-67.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 IQD 7,571

$8.81 ฿297

-43.13%

Cappuccino

$0.64 IQD 974

$2.83 ฿95.4

-77.39%

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

$0.35 IQD 522

$0.87 ฿29.41

-59.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 279

$0.49 ฿16.65

-63.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.87 IQD 1,311

$2.56 ฿86.3

-66.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 IQD 2,051

$3.68 ฿124

-63.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.64 IQD 970

$1.66 ฿55.9

-61.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.65 IQD 978

$1.46 ฿49.31

-55.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.55 IQD 830

$1.50 ฿50.5

-63.33%

Eggs

$0.95 IQD 1,440

$2.09 ฿70.5

-54.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.19 IQD 10.9K

$19.07 ฿643

-62.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.88 IQD 4,353

$3.30 ฿111

-12.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.14 IQD 12.3K

$10.91 ฿368

-25.39%

Apples (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 963

$2.93 ฿98.9

-78.16%

Banana (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 972

$1.69 ฿57.0

-62.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.48 IQD 728

$2.25 ฿75.8

-78.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.22 IQD 331

$2.08 ฿70.0

-89.42%

Potato (1kg)

$0.25 IQD 375

$1.51 ฿51.0

-83.44%

Onion (1kg)

$0.31 IQD 474

$1.38 ฿46.52

-77.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 IQD 911

$1.07 ฿35.96

-43.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 IQD 740

$0.52 ฿17.51

-5.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.61 IQD 2,439

$4.20 ฿142

-61.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.94 IQD 16.5K

$18.79 ฿634

-41.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 IQD 2,195

$1.82 ฿61.5

-20.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 IQD 2,714

$2.84 ฿95.8

-36.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 IQD 475

$1.45 ฿48.98

-78.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.19 IQD 39.6K

$56.7 ฿1,912

-53.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 IQD 2,438

$3.02 ฿102

-46.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 IQD 2,420

$1.02 ฿34.33

56.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.98 IQD 6,021

$3.69 ฿125

7.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.31 IQD 472

$1.47 ฿49.76

-78.91%

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

$13.0K IQD 19.7M

$26.8K ฿903.4K

-51.36%

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

$15.3K IQD 23.2M

$26.7K ฿900.5K

-42.51%

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

$93.7 IQD 141.5K

$96.4 ฿3,251

-2.79%

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

$12.00 IQD 18.1K

$11.26 ฿380

6.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.95 IQD 34.7K

$16.85 ฿568

36.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.48 IQD 56.6K

$67.2 ฿2,268

-44.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.48 IQD 9,784

$10.73 ฿362

-39.61%

Cinema Ticket

$6.42 IQD 9,708

$7.50 ฿253

-14.40%

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

$301 IQD 455.1K

$476 ฿16.1K

-36.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$604 IQD 912.4K

$11.3K ฿380.0K

-94.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.49 IQD 24.9K

$62.4 ฿2,104

-73.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$12.99 IQD 19.6K

$28.41 ฿958

-54.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.0 IQD 90.6K

$94.3 ฿3,181

-36.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$15.65 IQD 23.6K

$85.8 ฿2,895

-81.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$211 IQD 318.8K

$716 ฿24.2K

-70.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$139 IQD 209.6K

$491 ฿16.6K

-71.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$369 IQD 557.1K

$1,927 ฿65.0K

-80.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 IQD 466.9K

$1,431 ฿48.3K

-78.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$851 IQD 1.3M

$4,175 ฿140.9K

-79.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$435 IQD 657.4K

$3,045 ฿102.7K

-85.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$521 IQD 787.2K

$502 ฿16.9K

3.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.53

5.57

-54.58%

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

Last update for Al-mawsil: October 25, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Al-mawsil

$139 23.2%

Phuket

$491 38.4% 254% $352

Groceries & Markets

Al-mawsil

$132 22%

Phuket

$266 20.8% 102% $134

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Al-mawsil

$129 21.5%

Phuket

$124 9.7% 3.2% $4.1

Eating Out

Al-mawsil

$64 10.8%

Phuket

$122 9.5% 88.7% $57

Sport & Entertainment

Al-mawsil

$50 8.4%

Phuket

$82 6.4% 63.4% $32

Clothing & Footwear

Al-mawsil

$47 7.9%

Phuket

$122 9.5% 158% $75

Getting Around

Al-mawsil

$37 6.2%

Phuket

$71 5.5% 90.4% $34

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $211 in Al-mawsil and $716 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al-mawsil pays 4% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $10 in Al-mawsil vs $32 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $132 vs $266 per month, with Al-mawsil cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇶 Al-mawsil

🇹🇭 Phuket

🕒 Local time

02:09 2:09 AM

06:09 6:09 AM

4 h ahead of Al-mawsil

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,683,000

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 1, 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 1, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.67 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

USD to IQD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Al-mawsil Phuket 6,400 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Al-mawsil is about 53% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 4% higher in Al-mawsil, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $211 in Al-mawsil versus $716 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $301 in Al-mawsil versus $476 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 102% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $598 in Al-mawsil versus $1,278 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Al-mawsil but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Al-mawsil the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Al-mawsil gentler on the wallet – expenses run 53% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.