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 $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $734 in Al Kut, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,286 per month in Phuket vs $1,139 in Al Kut, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,310 per month in Phuket vs $1,544 in Al Kut, rent included.

Phuket costs about 72% more than Al Kut, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Al Kut are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Al Kut 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$3.99 IQD 5,220

14.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$24.40 IQD 32.0K

91.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$7.00 IQD 9,169

21.00%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$2.63 IQD 3,448

15.21%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.37 IQD 484

86.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.20 IQD 259

85.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$2.93 IQD 3,838

-15.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.93 IQD 3,831

24.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.37 IQD 1,800

59.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$0.78 IQD 1,025

143.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.56 IQD 2,038

41.03%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$1.58 IQD 2,071

40.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$4.38 IQD 5,733

356.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.48 IQD 4,561

5.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$12.91 IQD 16.9K

2.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$0.86 IQD 1,133

275.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.00 IQD 1,309

70.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$0.87 IQD 1,136

174.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$0.69 IQD 898

201.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.64 IQD 838

148.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$0.64 IQD 835

131.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$0.62 IQD 818

66.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.53 IQD 693

-1.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$1.86 IQD 2,432

128.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.83 IQD 2,403

-3.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$2.08 IQD 2,726

32.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.36 IQD 473

277.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$31.30 IQD 41.0K

-63.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$2.36 IQD 3,093

33.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$1.53 IQD 2,000

-32.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$6.08 IQD 7,963

126.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$0.54 IQD 704

148.15%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$19.5K IQD 25.5M

42.05%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$19.9K IQD 26.0M

70.46%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$75.8 IQD 99.2K

63.13%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$17.77 IQD 23.3K

-23.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$35.04 IQD 45.9K

-46.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$36.49 IQD 47.8K

69.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$16.52 IQD 21.6K

4.42%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$7.53 IQD 9,859

21.38%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$150 IQD 196.5K

368.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$3,222 IQD 4.2M

392.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$26.59 IQD 34.8K

123.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$25.69 IQD 33.6K

36.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$61.7 IQD 80.8K

86.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$41.02 IQD 53.7K

104.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$246 IQD 321.5K

151.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$179 IQD 234.8K

141.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$576 IQD 753.7K

258.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$344 IQD 450.2K

339.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$996 IQD 1.3M

266.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$497 IQD 650.9K

428.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Al Kut: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Phuket versus $246 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 $47.00 in Phuket versus $24.00 in Al Kut. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $146 – 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: $1,261 in Phuket, $734 in Al Kut – roughly 72% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,892 per month in Phuket and $1,101 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 101% 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 $24.00 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 $734, than in Phuket at $1,261. 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 $734 in Al Kut to $1,261 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.