Cost of Living Comparison Between Baghdad and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Baghdad and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,054 in Baghdad versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,592 in Baghdad versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,130 in Baghdad versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Baghdad costs roughly 17% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baghdad 21% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.48 IQD 7,181

$4.70 ฿153

16.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.97 IQD 48.4K

$45.37 ฿1,482

-18.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.57 IQD 9,909

$8.43 ฿275

-10.20%

Cappuccino

$3.06 IQD 4,003

$2.93 ฿95.6

4.44%

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

$0.40 IQD 518

$0.69 ฿22.40

-42.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 242

$0.37 ฿11.99

-51.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.42 IQD 4,485

$2.41 ฿78.6

41.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 IQD 3,853

$3.72 ฿122

-20.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 IQD 1,726

$2.23 ฿72.9

-40.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 IQD 1,017

$1.83 ฿59.8

-57.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 IQD 2,166

$2.17 ฿70.8

-23.96%

Eggs

$1.79 IQD 2,350

$2.21 ฿72.3

-19.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 IQD 5,763

$19.74 ฿645

-77.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.07 IQD 6,636

$3.63 ฿119

39.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.34 IQD 18.8K

$13.53 ฿442

5.99%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 IQD 1,612

$3.28 ฿107

-62.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 IQD 1,530

$1.61 ฿52.6

-27.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.01 IQD 1,329

$2.41 ฿78.6

-58.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 922

$2.08 ฿68.1

-66.35%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 911

$1.53 ฿49.93

-54.25%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 835

$1.48 ฿48.36

-56.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 IQD 822

$0.99 ฿32.29

-36.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 IQD 871

$0.51 ฿16.67

29.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.11 IQD 2,765

$4.41 ฿144

-52.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.35 IQD 17.5K

$19.38 ฿633

-31.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 IQD 2,301

$1.78 ฿58.1

-1.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 IQD 2,815

$2.71 ฿88.6

-20.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 IQD 1,027

$1.37 ฿44.79

-43.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.60 IQD 37.4K

$11.39 ฿372

151.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.88 IQD 5,087

$3.02 ฿98.6

28.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 IQD 1,923

$0.99 ฿32.48

48.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

$14.10 ฿461

-44.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.56 IQD 737

$1.36 ฿44.51

-58.82%

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

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-27.97%

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

$19.9K IQD 26.1M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-39.51%

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

$181 IQD 237.4K

$122 ฿3,975

48.96%

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

$25.40 IQD 33.3K

$13.57 ฿443

87.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.16 IQD 52.6K

$18.31 ฿598

119.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 IQD 54.1K

$60.2 ฿1,967

-31.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.43 IQD 24.1K

$17.14 ฿560

7.53%

Cinema Ticket

$7.82 IQD 10.2K

$8.69 ฿284

-10.01%

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

$163 IQD 213.2K

$693 ฿22.6K

-76.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,573 IQD 4.7M

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-77.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.57 IQD 37.4K

$59.5 ฿1,944

-52.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.72 IQD 40.2K

$34.77 ฿1,136

-11.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.4 IQD 83.0K

$115 ฿3,743

-44.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.53 IQD 57.0K

$83.3 ฿2,720

-47.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$540 IQD 707.6K

$613 ฿20.0K

-11.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$321 IQD 420.5K

$437 ฿14.3K

-26.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$818 IQD 1.1M

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-60.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$580 IQD 759.9K

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-61.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,034 IQD 5.3M

$3,749 ฿122.5K

7.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,617 IQD 2.1M

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-38.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$642 IQD 841.2K

$508 ฿16.6K

26.43%

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 Baghdad: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $540 in Baghdad and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Baghdad pays 26% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $37.00 in Baghdad vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $191 vs $293 per month, with Baghdad 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

Baghdad vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baghdad wins on cost – living expenses run 20% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Baghdad the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Baghdad pays 26% 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: $540 in Baghdad versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Baghdad runs roughly 151% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $163 in Baghdad versus $693 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,054 in Baghdad versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Baghdad but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Baghdad the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Baghdad delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,054 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Baghdad hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Baghdad 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 Baghdad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.