Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Al-mawsil Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Al-mawsil

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $721 in Al-mawsil.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,075 in Al-mawsil.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $1,429 in Al-mawsil.

Living in Phuket is roughly 74% more expensive than in Al-mawsil, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$7.77 IQD 10.2K

-41.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,554

$12.27 IQD 16.1K

276.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿298

$5.84 IQD 7,645

51.37%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$0.81 IQD 1,055

277.78%

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

$0.73 ฿24.42

$0.40 IQD 517

82.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.40

$0.17 IQD 224

135.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$0.94 IQD 1,225

158.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$1.50 IQD 1,960

152.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$0.85 IQD 1,112

165.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$0.80 IQD 1,049

126.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.06 IQD 1,391

112.26%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.6

$1.92 IQD 2,515

17.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$7.29 IQD 9,548

167.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$3.24 IQD 4,242

12.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$7.05 IQD 9,229

85.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$0.91 IQD 1,195

254.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$0.91 IQD 1,192

78.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.2

$0.81 IQD 1,061

193.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.2

$0.39 IQD 517

420.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$0.41 IQD 538

273.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$0.43 IQD 562

248.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.93

$0.51 IQD 669

92.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.40

$0.53 IQD 700

-1.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$1.95 IQD 2,553

127.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$12.24 IQD 16.0K

49.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.39 IQD 1,825

33.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.2

$1.93 IQD 2,533

38.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.49

$0.40 IQD 520

252.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

$31.67 IQD 41.5K

-63.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$2.17 IQD 2,839

43.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.08

$1.98 IQD 2,591

-47.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿475

$3.28 IQD 4,298

330.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.13

$0.33 IQD 432

296.97%

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

$27.8K ฿936.0K

$15.1K IQD 19.7M

84.63%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$17.7K IQD 23.1M

88.05%

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

$122 ฿4,120

$99.4 IQD 130.2K

23.17%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$17.52 IQD 22.9K

-22.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$27.27 IQD 35.7K

-31.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,035

$24.23 IQD 31.7K

149.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

$18.85 IQD 24.7K

-9.92%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$11.28 IQD 14.8K

-19.59%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$202 IQD 264.4K

249.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.8K

$694 IQD 909.2K

2176.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,970

$13.87 IQD 18.2K

322.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,190

$17.89 IQD 23.4K

97.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,885

$82.9 IQD 108.6K

39.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,818

$19.54 IQD 25.6K

328.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.1K

$242 IQD 316.7K

158.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$179 IQD 234.4K

148.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.7K

$572 IQD 748.7K

256.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$339 IQD 443.7K

340.38%

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

$608 IQD 795.8K

-17.75%

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-mawsil: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $242 in Al-mawsil. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al-mawsil pays 22% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $12.00 in Al-mawsil for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $149 per month, with Al-mawsil 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-mawsil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al-mawsil is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 74% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 22% lower in Al-mawsil. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $626 in Phuket versus $242 in Al-mawsil. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $202 in Al-mawsil. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 94% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $721 in Al-mawsil versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al-mawsil but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Al-mawsil the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Al-mawsil 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-mawsil 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-mawsil gentler on the wallet – expenses run 74% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.