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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $691 in Al-miqdadiyah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $1,085 in Al-miqdadiyah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $1,479 in Al-miqdadiyah.

Living in Phuket is roughly 83% more expensive than in Al-miqdadiyah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Al-miqdadiyah 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$7.59 IQD 9,945

-38.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$43.52 IQD 57.0K

-25.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$8.38 IQD 11.0K

3.58%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$3.76 IQD 4,920

-22.87%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$1.04 IQD 1,357

-19.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.45 IQD 591

8.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$6.13 IQD 8,034

-59.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$4.65 IQD 6,094

-19.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$1.28 IQD 1,678

47.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$0.77 IQD 1,013

83.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$1.76 IQD 2,300

-7.95%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$1.84 IQD 2,415

21.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$8.33 IQD 10.9K

138.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$5.54 IQD 7,254

-37.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$14.79 IQD 19.4K

-23.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$1.15 IQD 1,505

152.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$1.10 IQD 1,446

56.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$1.19 IQD 1,555

90.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$0.82 IQD 1,070

159.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$0.76 IQD 993

93.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$0.69 IQD 905

105.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$0.74 IQD 964

48.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$0.59 IQD 776

1.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$2.42 IQD 3,165

78.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$12.69 IQD 16.6K

46.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$1.63 IQD 2,133

10.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$2.08 IQD 2,727

42.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$1.86 IQD 2,442

66.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$1.83 IQD 2,400

-40.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$6.54 IQD 8,564

-40.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$0.62 IQD 813

130.65%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$18.1K IQD 23.7M

53.27%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

32.56%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$130 IQD 170.0K

-19.28%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$13.90 IQD 18.2K

-18.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$27.70 IQD 36.3K

-36.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$11.23 IQD 14.7K

-30.72%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$312 IQD 409.2K

84.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$3,084 IQD 4.0M

275.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$31.12 IQD 40.8K

104.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$44.33 IQD 58.1K

-34.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$70.1 IQD 91.7K

37.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$69.2 IQD 90.6K

30.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

2.53

120.16%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Al-miqdadiyah: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $44.00 in Al-miqdadiyah. Groceries flip the comparison at $275 vs $205, with Al-miqdadiyah cheaper for home cooking.

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-miqdadiyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Al-miqdadiyah differ by about 83% in total monthly costs ($1,265 vs $691 including rent). Al-miqdadiyah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $1,036 in Al-miqdadiyah 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 34% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $691 in Al-miqdadiyah – a 83% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $691 in Al-miqdadiyah versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Al-miqdadiyah but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Al-miqdadiyah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Al-miqdadiyah 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-miqdadiyah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 83% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.