Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and An Najaf Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and An Najaf

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $645 in An Najaf, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,089 per month in Phuket vs $976 in An Najaf, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Phuket vs $1,306 in An Najaf, rent included.

Phuket costs about 96% more than An Najaf, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and An Najaf are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, An Najaf 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$4.64 IQD 6,078

0.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$22.62 IQD 29.6K

42.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$4.85 IQD 6,350

78.97%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$2.48 IQD 3,251

16.94%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$0.37 IQD 482

127.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.26 IQD 343

88.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$3.91 IQD 5,120

-36.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$1.97 IQD 2,586

89.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$1.03 IQD 1,346

83.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$0.82 IQD 1,077

71.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$1.57 IQD 2,052

3.18%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$1.65 IQD 2,160

35.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$3.71 IQD 4,853

434.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$4.73 IQD 6,201

-26.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$10.73 IQD 14.1K

5.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$1.18 IQD 1,546

145.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$1.07 IQD 1,399

60.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$1.01 IQD 1,324

124.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$0.73 IQD 963

191.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$0.65 IQD 850

126.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$0.64 IQD 835

121.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$0.67 IQD 875

64.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$0.53 IQD 696

13.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$1.69 IQD 2,219

155.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$13.64 IQD 17.9K

36.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$2.23 IQD 2,924

-19.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$2.25 IQD 2,948

32.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

$0.33 IQD 428

581.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$1.54 IQD 2,018

101.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$1.49 IQD 1,951

-27.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$5.31 IQD 6,958

-27.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$0.45 IQD 588

217.78%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$11.8K IQD 15.5M

134.80%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$18.0K IQD 23.6M

49.80%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$38.16 IQD 50.0K

174.63%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$16.66 IQD 21.8K

-31.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$37.30 IQD 48.8K

-52.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

$28.91 IQD 37.9K

87.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$9.36 IQD 12.3K

-16.88%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$168 IQD 219.9K

243.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$917 IQD 1.2M

1163.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$16.14 IQD 21.1K

294.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$27.01 IQD 35.4K

7.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$71.2 IQD 93.2K

35.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$47.90 IQD 62.7K

87.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$258 IQD 337.8K

184.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$140 IQD 183.4K

257.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

$335 IQD 438.1K

535.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$204 IQD 266.7K

514.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

$1,263 IQD 1.7M

179.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

$488 IQD 638.5K

437.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

$729 IQD 954.1K

-30.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.12

35.19%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for An Najaf: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $733 in Phuket versus $258 in An Najaf. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 44% higher in An Najaf, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $23.00 in An Najaf. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $275 vs $174 – making An Najaf 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 An Najaf: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 96% more than An Najaf, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $968 in An Najaf. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in An Najaf, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,265 in Phuket and $645 in An Najaf. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $576 per month in Phuket and $168 in An Najaf. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in An Najaf, where all-in costs run around $645, than in Phuket at $1,265. In An Najaf it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. An Najaf costs $645 versus $1,265 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 An Najaf. 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.