🙂A single person spends $764 per month in Baghdadi vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,147 per month in Baghdadi vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,530 per month in Baghdadi vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂Baghdadi is about 39% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Baghdadi and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Baghdadi43% lower, Phuket6% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Baghdadi
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.94IQD 6,465
$4.55฿153
8.57%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$16.77IQD 22.0K
$46.18฿1,554
-63.69%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.01IQD 9,177
$8.84฿298
-20.70%
Cappuccino
$1.76IQD 2,309
$3.06฿103
-42.48%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.43IQD 559
$0.73฿24.42
-41.10%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.24IQD 312
$0.40฿13.40
-40.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.84IQD 3,718
$2.43฿81.8
16.87%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.81IQD 3,686
$3.78฿127
-25.66%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Baghdadi
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.15IQD 1,504
$2.26฿76.0
-49.12%
White Bread(500g)
$0.67IQD 882
$1.81฿60.9
-62.98%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.27IQD 2,979
$2.25฿75.8
0.89%
Eggs
$1.69IQD 2,213
$2.25฿75.6
-24.89%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$5.84IQD 7,652
$19.51฿656
-70.07%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.38IQD 5,740
$3.65฿123
20.00%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.29IQD 12.2K
$13.05฿439
-28.81%
Apples(1kg)
$1.02IQD 1,341
$3.23฿109
-68.42%
Banana(1kg)
$1.02IQD 1,333
$1.62฿54.4
-37.04%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.03IQD 1,345
$2.38฿80.2
-56.72%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.56IQD 739
$2.03฿68.2
-72.41%
Potato(1kg)
$0.53IQD 695
$1.53฿51.6
-65.36%
Onion(1kg)
$0.63IQD 829
$1.50฿50.5
-58.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.68IQD 895
$0.98฿32.93
-30.61%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51IQD 668
$0.52฿17.40
-1.92%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.70IQD 2,229
$4.44฿149
-61.71%
Wine(Bottle)
$15.16IQD 19.9K
$18.32฿616
-17.25%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.79IQD 2,348
$1.86฿62.7
-3.76%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14IQD 2,808
$2.68฿90.2
-20.15%
🚌 Getting Around
Baghdadi
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.36IQD 473
$1.41฿47.49
-74.47%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$31.53IQD 41.3K
$11.70฿394
169.49%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.26IQD 2,955
$3.11฿105
-27.33%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.54IQD 2,013
$1.04฿35.08
48.08%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$6.08IQD 7,956
$14.11฿475
-56.91%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.57IQD 741
$1.31฿44.13
-56.49%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.8KIQD 24.7M
$27.8K฿936.0K
-32.26%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.1KIQD 26.3M
$33.2K฿1.1M
-39.54%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Baghdadi
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$78.4IQD 102.6K
$122฿4,120
-35.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.76IQD 23.3K
$13.59฿457
30.68%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.08IQD 45.9K
$18.70฿629
87.59%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Baghdadi
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$36.63IQD 48.0K
$60.5฿2,035
-39.44%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.91IQD 22.1K
$16.98฿572
-0.41%
Cinema Ticket
$7.87IQD 10.3K
$9.07฿305
-13.23%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Baghdadi
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$150IQD 196.1K
$706฿23.8K
-78.80%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$3,290IQD 4.3M
$15.8K฿531.8K
-79.18%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Baghdadi
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$27.48IQD 36.0K
$58.6฿1,970
-53.07%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.73IQD 33.7K
$35.36฿1,190
-27.23%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$60.7IQD 79.5K
$115฿3,885
-47.44%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$40.50IQD 53.0K
$83.7฿2,818
-51.63%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Baghdadi
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$241IQD 315.9K
$626฿21.1K
-61.44%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$180IQD 236.2K
$445฿15.0K
-59.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$584IQD 765.4K
$2,040฿68.7K
-71.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$342IQD 448.4K
$1,492฿50.2K
-77.06%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,475IQD 1.9M
$3,483฿117.2K
-57.64%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$498IQD 652.6K
$2,577฿86.7K
-80.66%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Baghdadi
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$497IQD 650.7K
$500฿16.8K
-0.59%
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 Baghdadi: July 13, 2026
Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $241 in Baghdadi versus $626 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
💰Salaries run about 1% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $17.00 in Baghdadi versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $175 vs $289 – making Baghdadi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
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
Baghdadi vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Baghdadi?
Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 64%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,146 per month in Baghdadi and $1,875 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Baghdadi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Baghdadi and in Phuket?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $764 in Baghdadi and $1,250 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 169% less in Baghdadi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Baghdadi or in Phuket?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Baghdadi, where all-in costs run around $764, than in Phuket at $1,250. In Baghdadi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Baghdadi or Phuket more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Baghdadi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Baghdadi or Phuket?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Baghdadi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.