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: $640 in Mashhad versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $931 in Mashhad versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,223 in Mashhad versus $2,876 in Phuket.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Mashhad 53% lower, Phuket 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.67 IQD 6,120

$4.41 ฿147

5.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.11 IQD 44.7K

$32.26 ฿1,073

5.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 IQD 10.0K

$8.93 ฿297

-14.33%

Cappuccino

$3.08 IQD 4,035

$2.90 ฿96.3

6.21%

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

$0.40 IQD 519

$0.88 ฿29.27

-54.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 IQD 312

$0.48 ฿16.00

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.88 IQD 5,082

$2.35 ฿78.2

65.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 IQD 5,088

$3.72 ฿124

4.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 IQD 1,371

$1.87 ฿62.0

-43.85%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 IQD 1,076

$1.47 ฿48.75

-44.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 IQD 2,067

$1.55 ฿51.6

1.94%

Eggs

$0.81 IQD 1,063

$2.10 ฿69.9

-61.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.80 IQD 4,980

$19.59 ฿651

-80.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.04 IQD 2,676

$3.42 ฿114

-40.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$2.92 IQD 3,820

$11.38 ฿378

-74.34%

Apples (1kg)

$1.01 IQD 1,325

$2.98 ฿99.2

-66.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 IQD 1,467

$1.68 ฿56.0

-33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 IQD 1,281

$2.21 ฿73.5

-55.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 889

$2.16 ฿71.9

-68.52%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 873

$1.52 ฿50.7

-55.92%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 837

$1.34 ฿44.49

-52.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 IQD 407

$1.13 ฿37.53

-72.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 274

$0.55 ฿18.17

-61.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.76 IQD 996

$4.26 ฿142

-82.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.55 IQD 17.7K

$19.09 ฿635

-29.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 IQD 2,799

$1.78 ฿59.2

20.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 IQD 2,953

$2.78 ฿92.5

-18.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.1

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿756

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 IQD 2,947

$3.03 ฿101

-25.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 IQD 1,979

$1.02 ฿34.02

48.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.52 IQD 9,851

$3.89 ฿129

93.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 IQD 857

$1.49 ฿49.57

-56.38%

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

$18.9K IQD 24.8M

$26.6K ฿883.8K

-28.79%

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

$18.9K IQD 24.8M

$27.0K ฿898.7K

-30.02%

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

$215 IQD 281.7K

$102 ฿3,407

109.95%

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

$21.21 IQD 27.8K

$11.33 ฿377

87.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.34 IQD 55.4K

$17.40 ฿578

143.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,732

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$10.60 IQD 13.9K

$7.69 ฿256

37.84%

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

$165 IQD 216.6K

$561 ฿18.6K

-70.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,514 IQD 4.6M

$11.5K ฿382.6K

-69.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.67 IQD 38.8K

$63.0 ฿2,096

-52.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 IQD 49.9K

$29.52 ฿982

29.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.5 IQD 97.6K

$98.0 ฿3,259

-23.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.47 IQD 60.8K

$88.5 ฿2,943

-47.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.12

5.57

-26.03%

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

Last update for Mashhad: September 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $34.00 in Mashhad vs $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $127 vs $274, with Mashhad cheaper for home cooking.

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 92% in total monthly costs ($640 vs $1,232 including rent). Mashhad is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $960 in Mashhad and $1,847 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.

Childcare runs $165 in Mashhad versus $561 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mashhad – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $640 in Mashhad versus $1,232 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 92% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.