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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $703 in Al-musayyib versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,023 in Al-musayyib versus $2,089 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,344 in Al-musayyib versus $2,913 in Phuket.

Living in Al-musayyib costs roughly 44% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al-musayyib 49% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.65 IQD 6,091

$4.66 ฿154

-0.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.61 IQD 45.3K

$32.22 ฿1,065

7.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.70 IQD 10.1K

$8.68 ฿287

-11.29%

Cappuccino

$3.18 IQD 4,163

$2.90 ฿95.8

9.66%

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

$0.39 IQD 514

$0.84 ฿27.89

-53.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 IQD 342

$0.49 ฿16.16

-46.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.90 IQD 5,105

$2.48 ฿82.0

57.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 IQD 5,021

$3.73 ฿123

2.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 IQD 1,413

$1.89 ฿62.3

-42.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.77 IQD 1,014

$1.41 ฿46.54

-45.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 IQD 1,985

$1.62 ฿53.6

-6.17%

Eggs

$1.56 IQD 2,047

$2.24 ฿74.1

-30.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.87 IQD 5,068

$19.84 ฿656

-80.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.83 IQD 5,016

$3.48 ฿115

10.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.30 IQD 14.8K

$11.37 ฿376

-0.62%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 IQD 1,487

$2.90 ฿95.8

-60.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 IQD 1,396

$1.72 ฿57.0

-37.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.05 IQD 1,376

$2.27 ฿75.1

-53.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.54 IQD 711

$2.13 ฿70.4

-74.65%

Potato (1kg)

$0.60 IQD 781

$1.47 ฿48.72

-59.18%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 IQD 768

$1.42 ฿46.92

-58.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 IQD 721

$1.10 ฿36.25

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 IQD 474

$0.60 ฿19.76

-40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.82 IQD 2,386

$4.31 ฿142

-57.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.77 IQD 18.0K

$18.60 ฿615

-25.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 IQD 2,935

$1.80 ฿59.5

24.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 IQD 2,997

$2.97 ฿98.0

-22.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 IQD 2,957

$3.10 ฿102

-27.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 IQD 1,952

$1.08 ฿35.56

37.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 IQD 10.0K

$3.87 ฿128

97.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 IQD 823

$1.43 ฿47.16

-55.94%

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

$19.0K IQD 24.9M

$27.8K ฿918.0K

-31.57%

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

$19.1K IQD 25.1M

$27.0K ฿891.5K

-29.06%

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

$212 IQD 277.1K

$105 ฿3,462

101.90%

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

$20.98 IQD 27.5K

$11.39 ฿376

84.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.50 IQD 54.3K

$17.54 ฿580

136.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$10.68 IQD 14.0K

$7.78 ฿257

37.28%

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

$170 IQD 222.6K

$576 ฿19.0K

-70.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,519 IQD 4.6M

$11.6K ฿382.7K

-69.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.66 IQD 38.8K

$63.6 ฿2,103

-53.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.55 IQD 49.2K

$29.10 ฿961

29.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.8 IQD 95.4K

$96.2 ฿3,179

-24.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.52 IQD 60.9K

$90.0 ฿2,974

-48.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

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-musayyib: September 6, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $35.00 in Al-musayyib vs $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $167 vs $275, with Al-musayyib cheaper for home cooking.

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-musayyib vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al-musayyib and Phuket differ by about 80% in total monthly costs ($703 vs $1,265 including rent). Al-musayyib is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,054 in Al-musayyib and $1,898 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $170 in Al-musayyib versus $576 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Al-musayyib – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $703 in Al-musayyib versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Al-musayyib but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Al-musayyib 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.

Safety-wise, Al-musayyib 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-musayyib gentler on the wallet – expenses run 80% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.