Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Al Kazimiyah Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Al Kazimiyah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $732 in Al Kazimiyah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,160 in Al Kazimiyah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,589 in Al Kazimiyah.

Living in Phuket is roughly 73% more expensive than Al Kazimiyah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Al Kazimiyah 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$3.99 IQD 5,226

17.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,483

$24.69 IQD 32.3K

83.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$6.81 IQD 8,912

23.79%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.7

$2.64 IQD 3,455

10.98%

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

$0.69 ฿22.42

$0.37 IQD 483

86.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.00

$0.21 IQD 280

76.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$2.89 IQD 3,779

-16.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.81 IQD 3,683

32.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.0

$1.33 IQD 1,742

67.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.9

$0.78 IQD 1,015

134.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.9

$1.58 IQD 2,064

37.34%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.4

$1.72 IQD 2,258

28.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$4.48 IQD 5,860

340.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$4.64 IQD 6,082

-21.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$13.08 IQD 17.1K

3.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$1.15 IQD 1,510

185.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$1.15 IQD 1,505

40.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$1.05 IQD 1,380

129.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$0.75 IQD 979

177.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.97

$0.68 IQD 892

125.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.41

$0.67 IQD 876

120.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.32

$0.68 IQD 884

45.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.68

$0.55 IQD 720

-7.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$1.88 IQD 2,460

134.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿634

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.86 IQD 2,438

-4.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.7

$2.07 IQD 2,714

30.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.83

$0.40 IQD 518

242.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$31.41 IQD 41.1K

-63.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.7

$2.34 IQD 3,069

29.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.51

$1.50 IQD 1,960

-34.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$5.86 IQD 7,678

140.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.55

$0.54 IQD 704

151.85%

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

$28.2K ฿921.9K

$18.8K IQD 24.6M

50.40%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$19.8K IQD 25.9M

66.55%

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

$122 ฿3,978

$76.2 IQD 99.8K

59.65%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$17.58 IQD 23.0K

-22.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿599

$34.07 IQD 44.6K

-46.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,969

$37.20 IQD 48.7K

61.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$16.68 IQD 21.8K

2.76%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$7.56 IQD 9,905

14.95%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$152 IQD 199.3K

355.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.8K

$3,248 IQD 4.3M

383.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,946

$26.60 IQD 34.8K

123.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,137

$25.38 IQD 33.2K

37.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,746

$60.1 IQD 78.7K

90.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,723

$41.64 IQD 54.5K

100.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$247 IQD 322.9K

148.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$177 IQD 232.4K

146.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.5K

$572 IQD 748.4K

266.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$350 IQD 458.5K

331.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

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 2, 2026

Last update for Al Kazimiyah: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $247 in Al Kazimiyah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $25.00 in Al Kazimiyah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $157 per month, with Al Kazimiyah 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

Phuket vs Al Kazimiyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Kazimiyah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 73% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $1,098 in Al Kazimiyah 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: $613 in Phuket versus $247 in Al Kazimiyah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Al Kazimiyah – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $732 in Al Kazimiyah – a 73% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $732 in Al Kazimiyah versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al Kazimiyah but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Al Kazimiyah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Al Kazimiyah is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Al Kazimiyah 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 Al Kazimiyah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 73% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.