Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Al-'amarah Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Al-'amarah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $671 in Al-'amarah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,286 per month in Phuket vs $1,086 in Al-'amarah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,310 per month in Phuket vs $1,501 in Al-'amarah, rent included.

Phuket costs about 88% more than Al-'amarah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Al-'amarah are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Al-'amarah 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$4.02 IQD 5,267

13.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$24.90 IQD 32.6K

87.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$7.02 IQD 9,193

20.66%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$2.60 IQD 3,401

16.54%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.40 IQD 521

72.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.19 IQD 255

94.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$2.85 IQD 3,736

-12.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.89 IQD 3,779

26.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.81 IQD 2,364

20.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$0.79 IQD 1,030

140.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.12 IQD 1,462

96.43%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$1.55 IQD 2,027

43.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$4.54 IQD 5,951

340.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$4.64 IQD 6,074

-21.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$12.96 IQD 17.0K

2.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$0.91 IQD 1,197

254.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.08 IQD 1,416

57.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$0.87 IQD 1,136

174.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$0.39 IQD 514

433.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.76 IQD 989

109.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$0.35 IQD 452

322.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$0.63 IQD 827

63.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.47 IQD 617

10.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$1.97 IQD 2,573

115.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.79 IQD 2,341

-1.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$2.11 IQD 2,769

30.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.37 IQD 484

267.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$31.73 IQD 41.5K

-64.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$1.67 IQD 2,188

88.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$1.48 IQD 1,936

-29.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$6.10 IQD 7,988

125.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$0.31 IQD 404

332.26%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$19.4K IQD 25.4M

42.68%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

66.90%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$76.1 IQD 99.6K

62.45%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$17.95 IQD 23.5K

-24.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$34.06 IQD 44.6K

-45.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$22.68 IQD 29.7K

172.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$16.99 IQD 22.2K

1.53%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$7.72 IQD 10.1K

18.39%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$154 IQD 201.2K

357.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$3,248 IQD 4.3M

388.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$27.51 IQD 36.0K

116.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$24.93 IQD 32.6K

40.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$61.8 IQD 80.9K

86.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$41.10 IQD 53.8K

104.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$331 IQD 434.1K

86.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$132 IQD 173.3K

226.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$441 IQD 578.0K

367.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$346 IQD 452.8K

337.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$581 IQD 760.9K

527.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$506 IQD 663.1K

0.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.67

-6.00%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Al-'amarah: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Phuket versus $331 in Al-'amarah. 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 0% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket versus $25.00 in Al-'amarah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $153 – making Al-'amarah 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

Phuket vs Al-'amarah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 88%, 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 $1,892 per month in Phuket and $1,006 in Al-'amarah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 91% 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 $47.00 in Phuket and $25.00 in Al-'amarah. 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 Al-'amarah, where all-in costs run around $671, than in Phuket at $1,261. In Al-'amarah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Al-'amarah – 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 Al-'amarah. 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.