Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-mawsil and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-mawsil and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $734 in Al-mawsil versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,085 in Al-mawsil versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,437 in Al-mawsil versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Al-mawsil costs roughly 42% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al-mawsil 45% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.47 IQD 9,781

$4.70 ฿153

58.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.10 IQD 15.8K

$45.37 ฿1,482

-73.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.87 IQD 7,683

$8.43 ฿275

-30.37%

Cappuccino

$0.75 IQD 977

$2.93 ฿95.6

-74.40%

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

$0.36 IQD 473

$0.69 ฿22.40

-47.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 IQD 218

$0.37 ฿11.99

-54.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.91 IQD 1,198

$2.41 ฿78.6

-62.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 IQD 1,943

$3.72 ฿122

-60.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 IQD 1,207

$2.23 ฿72.9

-58.74%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 IQD 976

$1.83 ฿59.8

-59.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 IQD 1,378

$2.17 ฿70.8

-51.61%

Eggs

$1.97 IQD 2,578

$2.21 ฿72.3

-10.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.27 IQD 9,521

$19.74 ฿645

-63.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 IQD 4,326

$3.63 ฿119

-9.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.12 IQD 9,319

$13.53 ฿442

-47.38%

Apples (1kg)

$0.92 IQD 1,203

$3.28 ฿107

-71.95%

Banana (1kg)

$0.86 IQD 1,126

$1.61 ฿52.6

-46.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.77 IQD 1,012

$2.41 ฿78.6

-68.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.37 IQD 479

$2.08 ฿68.1

-82.21%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 IQD 543

$1.53 ฿49.93

-73.20%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 IQD 601

$1.48 ฿48.36

-68.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 IQD 679

$0.99 ฿32.29

-47.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 IQD 635

$0.51 ฿16.67

-5.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.90 IQD 2,492

$4.41 ฿144

-56.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.23 IQD 16.0K

$19.38 ฿633

-36.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 IQD 1,799

$1.78 ฿58.1

-23.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 IQD 2,518

$2.71 ฿88.6

-29.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 IQD 482

$1.37 ฿44.79

-72.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.22 IQD 40.9K

$11.39 ฿372

174.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.18 IQD 2,850

$3.02 ฿98.6

-27.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 IQD 2,646

$0.99 ฿32.48

104.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 IQD 4,391

$14.10 ฿461

-76.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.35 IQD 461

$1.36 ฿44.51

-74.26%

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

$15.6K IQD 20.4M

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-44.66%

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

$17.7K IQD 23.2M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-46.26%

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

$99.0 IQD 129.6K

$122 ฿3,975

-18.67%

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

$17.96 IQD 23.5K

$13.57 ฿443

32.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.95 IQD 35.3K

$18.31 ฿598

47.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.87 IQD 31.3K

$60.2 ฿1,967

-60.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.75 IQD 24.6K

$17.14 ฿560

9.39%

Cinema Ticket

$11.49 IQD 15.0K

$8.69 ฿284

32.22%

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

$198 IQD 258.7K

$693 ฿22.6K

-71.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$701 IQD 917.6K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-95.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.06 IQD 18.4K

$59.5 ฿1,944

-76.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.51 IQD 22.9K

$34.77 ฿1,136

-49.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 IQD 107.4K

$115 ฿3,743

-28.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$19.05 IQD 24.9K

$83.3 ฿2,720

-77.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 IQD 316.0K

$613 ฿20.0K

-60.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 IQD 231.4K

$437 ฿14.3K

-59.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$585 IQD 765.7K

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-72.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$349 IQD 457.4K

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-76.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$607 IQD 795.3K

$508 ฿16.6K

19.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.67

5.33

6.38%

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

Last update for Al-mawsil: June 2, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $241 in Al-mawsil and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al-mawsil pays 20% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $12.00 in Al-mawsil vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $148 vs $293 per month, with Al-mawsil 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

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

Al-mawsil is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 72% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Al-mawsil pays 20% more on average, 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: $241 in Al-mawsil versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $198 in Al-mawsil versus $693 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 97% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $734 in Al-mawsil versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 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.

For families, Al-mawsil 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, Al-mawsil 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 Al-mawsil gentler on the wallet – expenses run 72% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.