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 $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $681 in Al-'amarah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Phuket vs $1,090 in Al-'amarah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,279 per month in Phuket vs $1,499 in Al-'amarah, rent included.

Phuket costs about 81% more than Al-'amarah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Al-'amarah are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Al-'amarah 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$3.95 IQD 5,174

17.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,523

$24.93 IQD 32.7K

87.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿287

$6.95 IQD 9,104

27.19%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿97.4

$2.57 IQD 3,369

16.73%

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

$0.74 ฿24.11

$0.37 IQD 481

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.88

$0.19 IQD 250

94.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.3

$2.87 IQD 3,755

-14.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿117

$2.81 IQD 3,677

28.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.5

$1.86 IQD 2,442

21.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿59.8

$0.75 IQD 979

145.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.0

$1.09 IQD 1,427

105.50%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.3

$1.50 IQD 1,963

54.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿639

$4.41 IQD 5,773

346.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$4.69 IQD 6,149

-22.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿426

$13.07 IQD 17.1K

0.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿110

$0.86 IQD 1,122

294.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.4

$1.08 IQD 1,415

51.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.5

$0.89 IQD 1,167

170.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.0

$0.39 IQD 517

420.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.6

$0.74 IQD 971

110.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.66

$0.34 IQD 450

341.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.30

$0.62 IQD 817

64.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿15.91

$0.47 IQD 618

4.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$1.85 IQD 2,429

140.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿614

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿57.7

$1.82 IQD 2,385

-2.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿89.5

$2.10 IQD 2,751

30.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.54

$0.37 IQD 479

278.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿373

$30.84 IQD 40.4K

-62.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿101

$1.69 IQD 2,214

84.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.48

$1.55 IQD 2,024

-35.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿458

$6.16 IQD 8,065

128.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿43.93

$0.33 IQD 434

309.09%

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

$27.2K ฿883.7K

$19.3K IQD 25.2M

41.13%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

64.49%

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

$125 ฿4,063

$78.3 IQD 102.5K

59.64%

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

$13.57 ฿441

$17.40 IQD 22.8K

-22.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿602

$34.87 IQD 45.7K

-46.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿1,999

$22.48 IQD 29.4K

173.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

$16.71 IQD 21.9K

0.78%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿299

$7.68 IQD 10.1K

19.66%

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

$698 ฿22.7K

$150 IQD 196.2K

366.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿506.9K

$3,269 IQD 4.3M

377.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$26.78 IQD 35.1K

115.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,146

$25.37 IQD 33.2K

38.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,677

$61.7 IQD 80.8K

83.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,808

$40.93 IQD 53.6K

111.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.0K

$320 IQD 419.7K

92.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.5K

$130 IQD 170.1K

243.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿66.6K

$446 IQD 584.2K

359.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.5K

$343 IQD 449.6K

334.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿122.8K

$574 IQD 752.2K

557.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.0K

$505 IQD 661.1K

3.78%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Al-'amarah: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $616 in Phuket versus $320 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 4% 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: $292 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 81%, 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 $1,847 per month in Phuket and $1,022 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 $681, than in Phuket at $1,232. 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.