Cost of Living Comparison Between Duhok and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Duhok and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $663 in Duhok versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,064 in Duhok versus $2,089 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,466 in Duhok versus $2,913 in Phuket.

Living in Duhok costs roughly 48% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Duhok 52% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.84 IQD 5,024

$4.66 ฿153

-17.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.93 IQD 24.8K

$32.22 ฿1,057

-41.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.62 IQD 11.3K

$8.68 ฿285

-0.69%

Cappuccino

$2.81 IQD 3,684

$2.90 ฿95.1

-3.10%

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

$0.40 IQD 518

$0.84 ฿27.69

-52.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 269

$0.49 ฿16.05

-57.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 IQD 2,464

$2.48 ฿81.5

-24.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 IQD 3,074

$3.73 ฿122

-37.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 IQD 1,611

$1.89 ฿61.9

-34.92%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 IQD 1,027

$1.41 ฿46.21

-44.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 IQD 2,311

$1.62 ฿53.2

8.64%

Eggs

$1.85 IQD 2,429

$2.24 ฿73.5

-17.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.91 IQD 6,436

$19.84 ฿651

-75.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 IQD 4,041

$3.48 ฿114

-11.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.88 IQD 16.9K

$11.37 ฿373

13.28%

Apples (1kg)

$1.08 IQD 1,408

$2.90 ฿95.1

-62.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 IQD 1,450

$1.72 ฿56.6

-35.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.81 IQD 1,065

$2.27 ฿74.6

-64.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 904

$2.13 ฿70.0

-67.61%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 976

$1.47 ฿48.38

-48.98%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 901

$1.42 ฿46.59

-51.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 IQD 1,045

$1.10 ฿36.00

-27.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 IQD 772

$0.60 ฿19.62

-1.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.92 IQD 2,517

$4.31 ฿141

-55.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.55 IQD 16.4K

$18.60 ฿610

-32.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 IQD 2,147

$1.80 ฿59.1

-8.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 IQD 2,686

$2.97 ฿97.3

-30.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 IQD 466

$2.25 ฿73.7

-84.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.53 IQD 20.3K

$23.49 ฿771

-33.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.86 IQD 2,436

$3.10 ฿102

-40.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 IQD 1,875

$1.08 ฿35.31

32.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.83 IQD 7,629

$3.87 ฿127

50.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.67 IQD 879

$1.43 ฿46.83

-53.15%

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

$18.3K IQD 24.0M

$27.8K ฿911.7K

-34.09%

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

$20.2K IQD 26.4M

$27.0K ฿885.3K

-25.26%

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

$92.3 IQD 120.8K

$105 ฿3,438

-11.97%

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

$9.76 IQD 12.8K

$11.39 ฿374

-14.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.23 IQD 37.0K

$17.54 ฿576

60.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.3 IQD 69.8K

$54.3 ฿1,783

-1.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.88 IQD 40.4K

$11.44 ฿375

169.93%

Cinema Ticket

$7.55 IQD 9,883

$7.78 ฿255

-2.96%

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

$111 IQD 145.6K

$576 ฿18.9K

-80.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,151 IQD 4.1M

$11.6K ฿380.0K

-72.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$10.17 IQD 13.3K

$63.6 ฿2,088

-84.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.16 IQD 26.4K

$29.10 ฿955

-30.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$30.16 IQD 39.5K

$96.2 ฿3,157

-68.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$20.11 IQD 26.3K

$90.0 ฿2,953

-77.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$179 IQD 234.5K

$733 ฿24.1K

-75.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$125 IQD 163.7K

$501 ฿16.4K

-75.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$366 IQD 479.6K

$2,126 ฿69.7K

-82.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$338 IQD 442.9K

$1,252 ฿41.1K

-72.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$477 IQD 625.2K

$3,534 ฿115.9K

-86.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$391 IQD 512.6K

$2,622 ฿86.0K

-85.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$455 IQD 595.5K

$508 ฿16.7K

-10.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.53

5.57

-54.58%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Duhok: September 7, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $179 in Duhok and $733 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 12% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $19.00 in Duhok vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $173 vs $275 per month, with Duhok 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

Duhok vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Duhok and Phuket differ by about 91% in total monthly costs ($663 vs $1,265 including rent). Duhok is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 12% lower in Phuket. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $179 in Duhok versus $733 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $111 in Duhok versus $576 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 59% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $663 in Duhok versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Duhok but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Duhok 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, Duhok 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 Duhok gentler on the wallet – expenses run 91% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.