Cost of Living Comparison Between Erbil and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Erbil and Phuket

Name: Phuket
Address: Phuket, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Erbil vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,522 per month in Erbil vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,010 per month in Erbil vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

Erbil is about 17% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Erbil and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Erbil 23% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

$4.55 ฿153

69.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.64 IQD 29.6K

$46.18 ฿1,550

-50.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.88 IQD 11.6K

$8.84 ฿297

0.45%

Cappuccino

$3.20 IQD 4,189

$3.06 ฿103

4.58%

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

$0.48 IQD 630

$0.73 ฿24.36

-34.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 262

$0.40 ฿13.37

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 IQD 2,523

$2.43 ฿81.6

-20.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 IQD 2,803

$3.78 ฿127

-43.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 IQD 1,719

$2.26 ฿75.8

-42.04%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 IQD 1,108

$1.81 ฿60.8

-53.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 IQD 2,439

$2.25 ฿75.7

-17.33%

Eggs

$1.98 IQD 2,590

$2.25 ฿75.4

-12.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.23 IQD 9,474

$19.51 ฿655

-62.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.72 IQD 6,184

$3.65 ฿122

29.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.24 IQD 18.7K

$13.05 ฿438

9.12%

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 IQD 1,563

$3.23 ฿109

-63.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,505

$1.62 ฿54.3

-29.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,502

$2.38 ฿80.0

-51.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.81 IQD 1,057

$2.03 ฿68.0

-60.10%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 888

$1.53 ฿51.5

-55.56%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 980

$1.50 ฿50.4

-50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 IQD 952

$0.98 ฿32.85

-25.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 IQD 742

$0.52 ฿17.36

9.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.62 IQD 3,428

$4.44 ฿149

-40.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.19 IQD 16.0K

$18.32 ฿615

-33.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 IQD 1,824

$1.86 ฿62.6

-25.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 IQD 2,579

$2.68 ฿90.0

-26.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 IQD 776

$1.41 ฿47.37

-58.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.14 IQD 46.0K

$11.70 ฿393

200.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 IQD 2,942

$3.11 ฿104

-27.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.33 IQD 3,052

$1.04 ฿35.00

124.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.75 IQD 8,845

$14.11 ฿474

-52.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 IQD 849

$1.31 ฿44.02

-50.38%

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

$19.4K IQD 25.4M

$27.8K ฿933.8K

-30.25%

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

$20.8K IQD 27.3M

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-37.26%

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

$102 IQD 133.2K

$122 ฿4,110

-16.95%

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

$17.42 IQD 22.8K

$13.59 ฿456

28.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.58 IQD 38.7K

$18.70 ฿628

58.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.8 IQD 96.6K

$60.5 ฿2,031

21.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.55 IQD 15.1K

$16.98 ฿570

-31.98%

Cinema Ticket

$11.41 IQD 14.9K

$9.07 ฿305

25.80%

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

$263 IQD 343.7K

$706 ฿23.7K

-62.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,250 IQD 4.3M

$15.8K ฿530.5K

-79.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.46 IQD 43.8K

$58.6 ฿1,965

-42.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.61 IQD 65.0K

$35.36 ฿1,187

40.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.1 IQD 106.2K

$115 ฿3,876

-29.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.5 IQD 100.2K

$83.7 ฿2,811

-8.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$429 IQD 562.2K

$626 ฿21.0K

-31.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$275 IQD 360.3K

$445 ฿14.9K

-38.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$732 IQD 958.5K

$2,040 ฿68.5K

-64.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$495 IQD 647.8K

$1,492 ฿50.1K

-66.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,130 IQD 1.5M

$3,483 ฿116.9K

-67.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$660 IQD 864.4K

$2,577 ฿86.5K

-74.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$581 IQD 760.9K

$500 ฿16.8K

16.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.33

5.33

168.86%

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

Last update for Erbil: July 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $429 in Erbil 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 16% higher in Erbil, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Erbil versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $195 vs $289 – making Erbil 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

Erbil vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 21%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,551 per month in Erbil and $1,875 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Erbil, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 48% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Erbil and $46.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Erbil, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Phuket at $1,250. In Erbil it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Erbil – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Erbil. 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.