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 $1,101 per month in Erbil vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,630 per month in Erbil vs $2,054 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,158 per month in Erbil vs $2,876 in Phuket, rent included.

Erbil is about 11% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Erbil and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Erbil 19% lower, Phuket 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.69 IQD 10.1K

$4.41 ฿147

74.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.38 IQD 58.1K

$32.26 ฿1,073

37.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.42 IQD 11.0K

$8.93 ฿297

-5.71%

Cappuccino

$3.84 IQD 5,027

$2.90 ฿96.3

32.41%

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

$1.03 IQD 1,353

$0.88 ฿29.27

17.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 IQD 580

$0.48 ฿16.00

-8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 IQD 7,920

$2.35 ฿78.2

157.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.71 IQD 6,166

$3.72 ฿124

26.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 IQD 1,657

$1.87 ฿62.0

-32.09%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 IQD 1,083

$1.47 ฿48.75

-43.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 IQD 2,197

$1.55 ฿51.6

8.39%

Eggs

$1.79 IQD 2,345

$2.10 ฿69.9

-14.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.06 IQD 10.6K

$19.59 ฿651

-58.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.78 IQD 7,574

$3.42 ฿114

69.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.84 IQD 19.4K

$11.38 ฿378

30.40%

Apples (1kg)

$1.13 IQD 1,483

$2.98 ฿99.2

-62.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 IQD 1,443

$1.68 ฿56.0

-34.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.23 IQD 1,612

$2.21 ฿73.5

-44.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.82 IQD 1,068

$2.16 ฿71.9

-62.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 911

$1.52 ฿50.7

-53.95%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 905

$1.34 ฿44.49

-48.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 IQD 969

$1.13 ฿37.53

-34.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 IQD 723

$0.55 ฿18.17

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.52 IQD 3,294

$4.26 ฿142

-40.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.54 IQD 16.4K

$19.09 ฿635

-34.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 IQD 2,217

$1.78 ฿59.2

-5.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 IQD 2,735

$2.78 ฿92.5

-24.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 IQD 772

$2.23 ฿74.1

-73.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.81 IQD 57.4K

$22.74 ฿756

92.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.94 IQD 2,544

$3.03 ฿101

-35.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 IQD 2,381

$1.02 ฿34.02

78.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.56 IQD 8,588

$3.89 ฿129

68.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.67 IQD 882

$1.49 ฿49.57

-55.03%

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

$18.3K IQD 24.0M

$26.6K ฿883.8K

-31.06%

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

$20.1K IQD 26.3M

$27.0K ฿898.7K

-25.57%

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

$128 IQD 167.0K

$102 ฿3,407

24.44%

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

$13.95 IQD 18.3K

$11.33 ฿377

23.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.49 IQD 37.3K

$17.40 ฿578

63.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.0 IQD 86.4K

$52.1 ฿1,732

26.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.62 IQD 19.1K

$11.07 ฿368

32.07%

Cinema Ticket

$11.67 IQD 15.3K

$7.69 ฿256

51.76%

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

$309 IQD 405.1K

$561 ฿18.6K

-44.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,144 IQD 4.1M

$11.5K ฿382.6K

-72.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.32 IQD 41.0K

$63.0 ฿2,096

-50.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.84 IQD 58.7K

$29.52 ฿982

51.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.3 IQD 90.7K

$98.0 ฿3,259

-29.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.4 IQD 88.3K

$88.5 ฿2,943

-23.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$460 IQD 602.5K

$738 ฿24.5K

-37.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$297 IQD 389.4K

$482 ฿16.0K

-38.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$740 IQD 969.5K

$2,107 ฿70.0K

-64.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 IQD 566.1K

$1,226 ฿40.8K

-64.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,092 IQD 1.4M

$3,617 ฿120.3K

-69.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$665 IQD 870.8K

$2,603 ฿86.5K

-74.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$614 IQD 803.9K

$494 ฿16.4K

24.37%

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 Erbil: September 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $460 in Erbil versus $738 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 24% 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 $44.00 in Erbil versus $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $204 in Erbil vs $274 in Phuket – so Erbil wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 12%, 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 $1,652 per month in Erbil and $1,847 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 34% 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 $44.00 in Erbil and $32.00 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 $1,101, than in Phuket at $1,232. 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.