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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $887 in Al-musayyib.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,338 in Al-musayyib.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $1,789 in Al-musayyib.

Living in Phuket is roughly 43% more expensive than in Al-musayyib, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Al-musayyib 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿151

$5.49 IQD 7,189

-18.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,532

$36.28 IQD 47.5K

25.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿294

$7.48 IQD 9,792

17.11%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.7

$2.99 IQD 3,911

-0.67%

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

$0.69 ฿23.07

$0.37 IQD 483

86.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.13

$0.19 IQD 244

105.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿85.1

$3.43 IQD 4,488

-26.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿126

$2.81 IQD 3,683

33.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿72.1

$1.17 IQD 1,538

83.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿61.0

$0.84 IQD 1,104

116.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿73.4

$1.51 IQD 1,975

44.37%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.6

$1.49 IQD 1,956

51.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿672

$4.54 IQD 5,947

340.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿122

$3.74 IQD 4,897

-2.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿455

$11.28 IQD 14.8K

20.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿109

$1.18 IQD 1,543

174.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿55.0

$1.13 IQD 1,479

45.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿78.3

$1.01 IQD 1,326

130.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.6

$0.58 IQD 764

256.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿52.0

$0.59 IQD 773

162.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.89

$0.59 IQD 771

147.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿33.09

$0.54 IQD 712

81.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.21

$0.37 IQD 481

29.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿146

$2.05 IQD 2,685

112.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿624

$13.81 IQD 18.1K

34.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.4

$1.76 IQD 2,301

5.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿89.2

$2.08 IQD 2,721

27.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.62

$0.37 IQD 479

283.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿389

$31.47 IQD 41.2K

-63.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$3.91 IQD 5,122

-18.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.66

$1.52 IQD 1,996

-32.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿467

$7.61 IQD 9,960

82.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿45.16

$0.58 IQD 755

131.03%

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

$27.8K ฿933.8K

$19.9K IQD 26.1M

39.37%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$20.0K IQD 26.1M

67.20%

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

$123 ฿4,134

$180 IQD 235.5K

-31.57%

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

$13.77 ฿463

$25.74 IQD 33.7K

-46.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿616

$40.78 IQD 53.4K

-55.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,039

$36.66 IQD 48.0K

65.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿577

$16.60 IQD 21.7K

3.37%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿298

$7.63 IQD 9,992

16.25%

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

$688 ฿23.1K

$167 IQD 218.1K

312.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿530.2K

$3,566 IQD 4.7M

342.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,992

$28.32 IQD 37.1K

109.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,166

$30.26 IQD 39.6K

14.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,870

$64.4 IQD 84.3K

78.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,814

$42.85 IQD 56.1K

95.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.9K

$241 IQD 315.4K

157.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿15.0K

$180 IQD 236.1K

147.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿68.3K

$583 IQD 763.9K

248.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿50.3K

$342 IQD 448.0K

337.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿116.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿85.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.6K

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-musayyib: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $241 in Al-musayyib. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $36.00 in Al-musayyib for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $168 per month, with Al-musayyib 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-musayyib: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Al-musayyib differ by about 43% in total monthly costs ($1,264 vs $887 including rent). Al-musayyib is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,896 in Phuket and $1,330 in Al-musayyib 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $621 in Phuket versus $241 in Al-musayyib. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $688 in Phuket versus $167 in Al-musayyib. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 73% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $887 in Al-musayyib versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Al-musayyib but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Al-musayyib 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-musayyib 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-musayyib gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.