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: $1,066 in Baghdad versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,598 in Baghdad versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,130 in Baghdad versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Baghdad costs roughly 15% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baghdad 20% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.30 IQD 6,947

$4.55 ฿153

16.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.81 IQD 48.2K

$46.18 ฿1,550

-20.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.78 IQD 10.2K

$8.84 ฿297

-11.99%

Cappuccino

$3.11 IQD 4,074

$3.06 ฿103

1.63%

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

$0.40 IQD 522

$0.73 ฿24.36

-45.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 233

$0.40 ฿13.37

-55.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 IQD 4,576

$2.43 ฿81.6

43.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 IQD 3,686

$3.78 ฿127

-25.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 IQD 1,722

$2.26 ฿75.8

-42.04%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 IQD 1,100

$1.81 ฿60.8

-53.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 IQD 2,152

$2.25 ฿75.7

-27.11%

Eggs

$1.81 IQD 2,364

$2.25 ฿75.4

-19.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 IQD 5,923

$19.51 ฿655

-76.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.86 IQD 6,364

$3.65 ฿122

33.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.16 IQD 18.5K

$13.05 ฿438

8.51%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 IQD 1,615

$3.23 ฿109

-61.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 IQD 1,519

$1.62 ฿54.3

-28.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 IQD 1,366

$2.38 ฿80.0

-56.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 984

$2.03 ฿68.0

-63.05%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 843

$1.53 ฿51.5

-58.17%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 873

$1.50 ฿50.4

-55.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 IQD 828

$0.98 ฿32.85

-35.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 IQD 858

$0.52 ฿17.36

26.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.07 IQD 2,707

$4.44 ฿149

-53.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.33 IQD 17.5K

$18.32 ฿615

-27.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 IQD 2,354

$1.86 ฿62.6

-3.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 IQD 2,762

$2.68 ฿90.0

-21.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 IQD 965

$1.41 ฿47.37

-47.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.86 IQD 36.5K

$11.70 ฿393

138.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.72 IQD 4,870

$3.11 ฿104

19.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 IQD 2,026

$1.04 ฿35.00

49.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.49 IQD 9,803

$14.11 ฿474

-46.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.53 IQD 700

$1.31 ฿44.02

-59.54%

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

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

$27.8K ฿933.8K

-28.00%

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

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-38.78%

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

$175 IQD 229.3K

$122 ฿4,110

42.98%

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

$26.17 IQD 34.3K

$13.59 ฿456

92.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.52 IQD 53.1K

$18.70 ฿628

116.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.04 IQD 55.1K

$60.5 ฿2,031

-30.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.31 IQD 24.0K

$16.98 ฿570

7.83%

Cinema Ticket

$7.49 IQD 9,813

$9.07 ฿305

-17.42%

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

$166 IQD 217.8K

$706 ฿23.7K

-76.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,526 IQD 4.6M

$15.8K ฿530.5K

-77.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.00 IQD 36.7K

$58.6 ฿1,965

-52.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.12 IQD 39.4K

$35.36 ฿1,187

-14.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.9 IQD 83.7K

$115 ฿3,876

-44.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.06 IQD 56.4K

$83.7 ฿2,811

-48.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$548 IQD 717.9K

$626 ฿21.0K

-12.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$323 IQD 422.7K

$445 ฿14.9K

-27.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$834 IQD 1.1M

$2,040 ฿68.5K

-59.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$597 IQD 781.1K

$1,492 ฿50.1K

-60.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,734 IQD 6.2M

$3,483 ฿116.9K

35.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,570 IQD 2.1M

$2,577 ฿86.5K

-39.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$629 IQD 823.2K

$500 ฿16.8K

25.77%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $548 in Baghdad and $626 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 $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $289 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 17% 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.

Average pay runs 26% higher in Baghdad, 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: $548 in Baghdad versus $626 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 138% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $166 in Baghdad versus $706 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,066 in Baghdad versus $1,250 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 $1,066 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 17% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.