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: $1,250 in Phuket versus $723 in Al Kazimiyah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,154 in Al Kazimiyah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $1,585 in Al Kazimiyah.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Al Kazimiyah 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$3.94 IQD 5,161

15.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,554

$24.95 IQD 32.7K

85.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿298

$6.91 IQD 9,055

27.93%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.55 IQD 3,337

20.00%

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

$0.73 ฿24.42

$0.37 IQD 483

97.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.40

$0.16 IQD 214

150.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$2.99 IQD 3,917

-18.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$2.86 IQD 3,741

32.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.37 IQD 1,788

64.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$0.84 IQD 1,100

115.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.64 IQD 2,146

37.20%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.6

$1.80 IQD 2,357

25.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$4.42 IQD 5,790

341.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$4.78 IQD 6,259

-23.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$13.42 IQD 17.6K

-2.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$1.20 IQD 1,578

169.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.21 IQD 1,585

33.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.2

$1.00 IQD 1,313

138.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.2

$0.73 IQD 961

178.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$0.64 IQD 841

139.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$0.62 IQD 814

141.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.93

$0.63 IQD 829

55.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.40

$0.56 IQD 737

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$1.88 IQD 2,457

136.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.84 IQD 2,416

1.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.2

$2.15 IQD 2,822

24.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.49

$0.40 IQD 518

252.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

$31.10 IQD 40.7K

-62.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$2.33 IQD 3,048

33.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.08

$1.53 IQD 2,007

-32.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿475

$5.96 IQD 7,801

136.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.13

$0.57 IQD 752

129.82%

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

$27.8K ฿936.0K

$18.8K IQD 24.6M

47.85%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$19.9K IQD 26.1M

66.71%

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

$122 ฿4,120

$76.3 IQD 99.9K

60.45%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$17.47 IQD 22.9K

-22.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$34.12 IQD 44.7K

-45.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,035

$36.07 IQD 47.2K

67.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

$16.91 IQD 22.1K

0.41%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$7.73 IQD 10.1K

17.34%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$151 IQD 197.3K

368.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.8K

$3,327 IQD 4.4M

375.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,970

$27.55 IQD 36.1K

112.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,190

$25.18 IQD 33.0K

40.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,885

$62.0 IQD 81.2K

86.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,818

$40.64 IQD 53.2K

106.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.1K

$241 IQD 315.8K

159.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$179 IQD 234.1K

148.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.7K

$580 IQD 759.4K

251.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$348 IQD 456.2K

328.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Al Kazimiyah: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $241 in Al Kazimiyah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $25.00 in Al Kazimiyah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $160 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 $1,875 in Phuket and $1,084 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: $626 in Phuket versus $241 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 $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,250 per month in Phuket versus $723 in Al Kazimiyah – a 73% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $723 in Al Kazimiyah versus $1,250 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.