Cost of Living Comparison Between As Samawah and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between As Samawah and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $895 in As Samawah versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,362 in As Samawah versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,828 in As Samawah versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in As Samawah costs roughly 29% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: As Samawah 33% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.25 IQD 6,880

$4.56 ฿149

15.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.58 IQD 47.9K

$46.63 ฿1,519

-21.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.56 IQD 9,893

$8.47 ฿276

-10.74%

Cappuccino

$3.08 IQD 4,032

$3.03 ฿98.6

1.65%

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

$0.39 IQD 517

$0.69 ฿22.45

-43.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 IQD 228

$0.37 ฿11.92

-54.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.50 IQD 4,585

$2.49 ฿81.0

40.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 IQD 3,832

$3.66 ฿119

-19.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 IQD 1,770

$2.18 ฿71.0

-38.07%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 IQD 1,027

$1.90 ฿62.0

-58.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 IQD 2,157

$2.20 ฿71.6

-25.00%

Eggs

$1.63 IQD 2,139

$2.22 ฿72.4

-26.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.63 IQD 6,061

$19.99 ฿651

-76.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.99 IQD 6,536

$3.66 ฿119

36.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.23 IQD 18.6K

$13.25 ฿432

7.40%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 IQD 1,344

$3.23 ฿105

-68.11%

Banana (1kg)

$0.98 IQD 1,280

$1.70 ฿55.3

-42.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 935

$2.39 ฿78.0

-70.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.51 IQD 672

$2.08 ฿67.7

-75.48%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 845

$1.59 ฿51.8

-59.75%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 889

$1.48 ฿48.31

-54.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.34 IQD 449

$1.03 ฿33.54

-66.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 IQD 806

$0.52 ฿16.83

19.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.16 IQD 2,831

$4.25 ฿138

-49.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

$18.79 ฿612

-58.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 IQD 2,317

$1.76 ฿57.2

0.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 IQD 2,868

$2.76 ฿89.8

-20.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 IQD 519

$1.36 ฿44.32

-70.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.96 IQD 40.5K

$11.36 ฿370

172.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 IQD 5,143

$3.14 ฿102

25.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 IQD 1,952

$1.04 ฿33.74

43.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 IQD 10.3K

$13.77 ฿448

-43.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.57 IQD 746

$1.34 ฿43.79

-57.46%

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

$20.2K IQD 26.5M

$27.7K ฿901.4K

-26.94%

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

$20.2K IQD 26.5M

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-40.22%

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

$175 IQD 228.8K

$124 ฿4,025

41.36%

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

$25.47 IQD 33.4K

$13.52 ฿440

88.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.93 IQD 53.6K

$18.69 ฿609

118.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.29 IQD 47.5K

$61.8 ฿2,013

-41.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.89 IQD 22.1K

$17.25 ฿562

-2.09%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 IQD 10.1K

$9.14 ฿298

-15.86%

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

$164 IQD 215.1K

$703 ฿22.9K

-76.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,589 IQD 4.7M

$15.9K ฿517.0K

-77.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.94 IQD 37.9K

$59.5 ฿1,937

-51.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.14 IQD 40.8K

$35.07 ฿1,142

-11.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.0 IQD 83.8K

$115 ฿3,754

-44.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$44.11 IQD 57.8K

$84.1 ฿2,737

-47.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$242 IQD 316.6K

$619 ฿20.1K

-60.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 IQD 229.5K

$433 ฿14.1K

-59.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$579 IQD 758.5K

$2,062 ฿67.2K

-71.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 IQD 456.2K

$1,511 ฿49.2K

-76.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

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 As Samawah: June 7, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $242 in As Samawah and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $37.00 in As Samawah vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $173 vs $293 per month, with As Samawah 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

As Samawah vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

As Samawah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 41% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,343 in As Samawah and $1,892 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $242 in As Samawah versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in As Samawah runs roughly 173% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $164 in As Samawah versus $703 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $895 in As Samawah versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in As Samawah but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes As Samawah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, As Samawah 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, As Samawah 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 As Samawah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.