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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,264 per month in Phuket vs $724 in Al Kut, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,256 per month in Phuket vs $1,142 in Al Kut, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Phuket vs $1,559 in Al Kut, rent included.

Phuket costs about 75% more than Al Kut, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Al Kut are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 5% lower, Al Kut 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$4.06 IQD 5,320

10.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$24.97 IQD 32.7K

82.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$6.69 IQD 8,763

30.94%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$2.59 IQD 3,394

14.67%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.37 IQD 480

86.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.20 IQD 256

95.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$2.97 IQD 3,891

-14.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$2.95 IQD 3,865

27.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.32 IQD 1,727

62.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$0.84 IQD 1,101

116.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.48 IQD 1,942

47.30%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$1.54 IQD 2,017

46.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$4.61 IQD 6,042

333.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$3.49 IQD 4,567

4.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$13.29 IQD 17.4K

2.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$0.84 IQD 1,098

285.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.01 IQD 1,317

62.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$0.82 IQD 1,069

184.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$0.73 IQD 962

183.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$0.66 IQD 862

134.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$0.66 IQD 867

121.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$0.63 IQD 824

55.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.53 IQD 689

-9.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$1.86 IQD 2,429

133.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$1.79 IQD 2,344

3.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$2.07 IQD 2,711

28.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.39 IQD 511

264.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$31.59 IQD 41.4K

-63.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$2.29 IQD 2,996

38.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$1.55 IQD 2,034

-33.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$6.16 IQD 8,067

125.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$0.58 IQD 756

131.03%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$19.1K IQD 25.1M

45.13%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$20.2K IQD 26.4M

65.40%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$76.0 IQD 99.5K

61.91%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$17.86 IQD 23.4K

-22.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$34.28 IQD 44.9K

-46.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$37.26 IQD 48.8K

62.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$16.97 IQD 22.2K

1.12%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$7.87 IQD 10.3K

12.71%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$155 IQD 202.4K

345.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$3,292 IQD 4.3M

379.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$27.28 IQD 35.7K

117.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$25.40 IQD 33.3K

36.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$62.0 IQD 81.2K

85.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$41.87 IQD 54.8K

100.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$247 IQD 323.6K

151.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$176 IQD 230.5K

153.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$575 IQD 753.5K

253.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$338 IQD 442.8K

342.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$981 IQD 1.3M

252.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$497 IQD 650.5K

409.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

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 27, 2026

Last update for Al Kut: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $621 in Phuket versus $247 in Al Kut. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket versus $25.00 in Al Kut. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $147 – making Al Kut 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 Kut: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,264 in Phuket, $724 in Al Kut – roughly 75% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,896 per month in Phuket and $1,086 in Al Kut. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 98% 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 $46.00 in Phuket and $25.00 in Al Kut. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Al Kut, where all-in costs run around $724, than in Phuket at $1,264. In Al Kut it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $724 in Al Kut to $1,264 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Kut. 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.