Cost of Living Comparison Between Mashhad and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Mashhad and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $846 in Mashhad versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,280 in Mashhad versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,715 in Mashhad versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Mashhad costs roughly 33% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mashhad 37% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.27 IQD 6,898

$4.56 ฿149

15.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.40 IQD 47.7K

$46.63 ฿1,519

-21.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 IQD 10.3K

$8.47 ฿276

-7.44%

Cappuccino

$2.95 IQD 3,858

$3.03 ฿98.6

-2.64%

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

$0.37 IQD 483

$0.69 ฿22.45

-46.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 234

$0.37 ฿11.92

-51.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.50 IQD 4,577

$2.49 ฿81.0

40.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 IQD 3,648

$3.66 ฿119

-23.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 IQD 1,741

$2.18 ฿71.0

-38.99%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 IQD 1,111

$1.90 ฿62.0

-55.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 IQD 2,151

$2.20 ฿71.6

-25.45%

Eggs

$0.88 IQD 1,146

$2.22 ฿72.4

-60.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.55 IQD 5,952

$19.99 ฿651

-77.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$1.98 IQD 2,591

$3.66 ฿119

-45.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$2.91 IQD 3,815

$13.25 ฿432

-78.04%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 IQD 1,346

$3.23 ฿105

-68.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 IQD 1,588

$1.70 ฿55.3

-28.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 IQD 1,332

$2.39 ฿78.0

-57.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.72 IQD 944

$2.08 ฿67.7

-65.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 894

$1.59 ฿51.8

-57.23%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 836

$1.48 ฿48.31

-56.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 IQD 410

$1.03 ฿33.54

-69.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 234

$0.52 ฿16.83

-65.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.82 IQD 1,076

$4.25 ฿138

-80.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.74 IQD 18.0K

$18.79 ฿612

-26.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 IQD 2,319

$1.76 ฿57.2

0.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 IQD 2,739

$2.76 ฿89.8

-24.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 IQD 478

$1.36 ฿44.32

-73.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.92 IQD 40.5K

$11.36 ฿370

172.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.74 IQD 4,891

$3.14 ฿102

19.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 IQD 1,942

$1.04 ฿33.74

42.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

$13.77 ฿448

-44.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.57 IQD 752

$1.34 ฿43.79

-57.46%

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

$19.9K IQD 26.1M

$27.7K ฿901.4K

-28.09%

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

$19.8K IQD 25.9M

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-41.59%

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

$175 IQD 228.7K

$124 ฿4,025

41.32%

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

$25.69 IQD 33.6K

$13.52 ฿440

90.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.27 IQD 54.0K

$18.69 ฿609

120.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.23 IQD 47.4K

$61.8 ฿2,013

-41.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.85 IQD 22.1K

$17.25 ฿562

-2.32%

Cinema Ticket

$7.81 IQD 10.2K

$9.14 ฿298

-14.55%

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

$163 IQD 212.9K

$703 ฿22.9K

-76.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,529 IQD 4.6M

$15.9K ฿517.0K

-77.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.31 IQD 37.1K

$59.5 ฿1,937

-52.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.46 IQD 39.9K

$35.07 ฿1,142

-13.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.1 IQD 85.2K

$115 ฿3,754

-43.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.88 IQD 57.5K

$84.1 ฿2,737

-47.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$243 IQD 318.3K

$619 ฿20.1K

-60.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 IQD 233.8K

$433 ฿14.1K

-58.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$579 IQD 758.4K

$2,062 ฿67.2K

-71.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$349 IQD 457.4K

$1,511 ฿49.2K

-76.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

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 Mashhad: June 7, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $243 in Mashhad and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $36.00 in Mashhad vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $131 vs $293 per month, with Mashhad 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

Mashhad vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mashhad and Phuket differ by about 49% in total monthly costs ($846 vs $1,261 including rent). Mashhad is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,269 in Mashhad and $1,892 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $243 in Mashhad versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $163 in Mashhad versus $703 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 123% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $846 in Mashhad versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mashhad but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Mashhad 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, Mashhad 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 Mashhad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.