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: $721 in Al-mawsil versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,075 in Al-mawsil versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,429 in Al-mawsil versus $3,317 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 46% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.77 IQD 10.2K

$4.55 ฿153

70.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.27 IQD 16.1K

$46.18 ฿1,554

-73.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.84 IQD 7,645

$8.84 ฿298

-33.94%

Cappuccino

$0.81 IQD 1,055

$3.06 ฿103

-73.53%

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

$0.40 IQD 517

$0.73 ฿24.42

-45.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 IQD 224

$0.40 ฿13.40

-57.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.94 IQD 1,225

$2.43 ฿81.8

-61.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 IQD 1,960

$3.78 ฿127

-60.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 IQD 1,112

$2.26 ฿76.0

-62.39%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 IQD 1,049

$1.81 ฿60.9

-55.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 IQD 1,391

$2.25 ฿75.8

-52.89%

Eggs

$1.92 IQD 2,515

$2.25 ฿75.6

-14.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.29 IQD 9,548

$19.51 ฿656

-62.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.24 IQD 4,242

$3.65 ฿123

-11.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.05 IQD 9,229

$13.05 ฿439

-45.98%

Apples (1kg)

$0.91 IQD 1,195

$3.23 ฿109

-71.83%

Banana (1kg)

$0.91 IQD 1,192

$1.62 ฿54.4

-43.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.81 IQD 1,061

$2.38 ฿80.2

-65.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.39 IQD 517

$2.03 ฿68.2

-80.79%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 IQD 538

$1.53 ฿51.6

-73.20%

Onion (1kg)

$0.43 IQD 562

$1.50 ฿50.5

-71.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.51 IQD 669

$0.98 ฿32.93

-47.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 IQD 700

$0.52 ฿17.40

1.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.95 IQD 2,553

$4.44 ฿149

-56.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.24 IQD 16.0K

$18.32 ฿616

-33.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 IQD 1,825

$1.86 ฿62.7

-25.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 IQD 2,533

$2.68 ฿90.2

-27.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 IQD 520

$1.41 ฿47.49

-71.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.67 IQD 41.5K

$11.70 ฿394

170.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.17 IQD 2,839

$3.11 ฿105

-30.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 IQD 2,591

$1.04 ฿35.08

90.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 IQD 4,298

$14.11 ฿475

-76.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.33 IQD 432

$1.31 ฿44.13

-74.81%

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

$15.1K IQD 19.7M

$27.8K ฿936.0K

-45.84%

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

$17.7K IQD 23.1M

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-46.82%

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

$99.4 IQD 130.2K

$122 ฿4,120

-18.81%

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

$17.52 IQD 22.9K

$13.59 ฿457

28.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.27 IQD 35.7K

$18.70 ฿629

45.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.23 IQD 31.7K

$60.5 ฿2,035

-59.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.85 IQD 24.7K

$16.98 ฿572

11.01%

Cinema Ticket

$11.28 IQD 14.8K

$9.07 ฿305

24.37%

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

$202 IQD 264.4K

$706 ฿23.8K

-71.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$694 IQD 909.2K

$15.8K ฿531.8K

-95.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.87 IQD 18.2K

$58.6 ฿1,970

-76.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.89 IQD 23.4K

$35.36 ฿1,190

-49.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.9 IQD 108.6K

$115 ฿3,885

-28.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$19.54 IQD 25.6K

$83.7 ฿2,818

-76.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$242 IQD 316.7K

$626 ฿21.1K

-61.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 IQD 234.4K

$445 ฿15.0K

-59.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$572 IQD 748.7K

$2,040 ฿68.7K

-71.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$339 IQD 443.7K

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-77.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$608 IQD 795.8K

$500 ฿16.8K

21.58%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $242 in Al-mawsil and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al-mawsil pays 22% 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 $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $149 vs $289 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 74% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 22% 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: $242 in Al-mawsil versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $202 in Al-mawsil versus $706 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 94% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $721 in Al-mawsil versus $1,250 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 74% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.