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 $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $719 in Al Kut, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Phuket vs $1,124 in Al Kut, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,279 per month in Phuket vs $1,530 in Al Kut, rent included.

Phuket costs about 71% more than Al Kut, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Al Kut are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Al Kut 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$3.94 IQD 5,165

17.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$25.03 IQD 32.8K

87.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$6.76 IQD 8,853

30.77%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$2.63 IQD 3,452

14.07%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.39 IQD 512

89.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.21 IQD 281

76.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$2.93 IQD 3,844

-16.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$2.94 IQD 3,847

22.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.33 IQD 1,738

69.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$0.84 IQD 1,096

119.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.49 IQD 1,956

50.34%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$1.59 IQD 2,081

45.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$4.56 IQD 5,978

331.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$3.58 IQD 4,690

1.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$13.25 IQD 17.4K

-1.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$0.84 IQD 1,102

303.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.00 IQD 1,315

64.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$0.85 IQD 1,109

183.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$0.75 IQD 985

170.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$0.69 IQD 902

126.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$0.62 IQD 811

141.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$0.67 IQD 880

52.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.56 IQD 736

-12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$1.88 IQD 2,460

136.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.76 IQD 2,310

1.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$2.15 IQD 2,813

27.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$0.37 IQD 480

278.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

$31.33 IQD 41.0K

-63.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$2.24 IQD 2,932

39.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$1.52 IQD 1,994

-34.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$5.87 IQD 7,690

140.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$0.53 IQD 700

154.72%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$19.2K IQD 25.1M

41.71%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$19.8K IQD 25.9M

66.29%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$76.2 IQD 99.8K

64.10%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$17.76 IQD 23.3K

-23.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$35.11 IQD 46.0K

-47.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$36.97 IQD 48.4K

66.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

$17.06 IQD 22.4K

-1.29%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$7.61 IQD 9,975

20.76%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$152 IQD 199.6K

358.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$3,254 IQD 4.3M

379.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$27.30 IQD 35.8K

111.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$24.98 IQD 32.7K

41.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$61.9 IQD 81.0K

82.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$40.65 IQD 53.3K

112.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$241 IQD 315.7K

155.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$179 IQD 234.1K

149.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$569 IQD 745.4K

259.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$346 IQD 452.6K

331.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

$990 IQD 1.3M

281.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

$509 IQD 666.6K

420.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

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 Kut: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $616 in Phuket versus $241 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 $25.00 in Al Kut. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $149 – 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: $1,232 in Phuket, $719 in Al Kut – roughly 71% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $1,078 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 97% 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 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 $719, than in Phuket at $1,232. 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 $719 in Al Kut to $1,232 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.