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 $673 in An Najaf, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $993 in An Najaf, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $1,313 in An Najaf, rent included.

Phuket costs about 88% more than An Najaf, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and An Najaf are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, An Najaf 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$4.17 IQD 5,458

12.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$22.52 IQD 29.5K

101.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$4.87 IQD 6,383

73.10%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$2.72 IQD 3,565

7.72%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.37 IQD 481

86.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.18 IQD 232

105.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$3.48 IQD 4,562

-30.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.78 IQD 3,646

33.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.33 IQD 1,735

67.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$0.79 IQD 1,040

131.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.61 IQD 2,107

34.78%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$1.80 IQD 2,358

22.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$2.32 IQD 3,042

750.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$4.91 IQD 6,436

-26.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$10.51 IQD 13.8K

28.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$1.24 IQD 1,617

164.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.15 IQD 1,511

40.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.06 IQD 1,386

127.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$0.75 IQD 986

177.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$0.65 IQD 849

135.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$0.68 IQD 890

117.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.66 IQD 862

50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.40 IQD 521

27.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$1.50 IQD 1,966

194.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$13.34 IQD 17.5K

45.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.84 IQD 2,410

-3.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$2.07 IQD 2,708

30.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.36 IQD 478

280.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$33.76 IQD 44.2K

-66.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$1.94 IQD 2,544

55.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$1.54 IQD 2,012

-35.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$5.02 IQD 6,572

180.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$0.44 IQD 579

209.09%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$11.6K IQD 15.2M

143.50%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$20.1K IQD 26.3M

64.06%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$59.9 IQD 78.4K

103.17%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$22.72 IQD 29.7K

-40.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$34.90 IQD 45.7K

-47.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$29.23 IQD 38.3K

106.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$14.76 IQD 19.3K

16.12%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$7.68 IQD 10.1K

13.15%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$164 IQD 215.1K

322.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$923 IQD 1.2M

1598.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$16.28 IQD 21.3K

265.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$24.86 IQD 32.6K

39.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$64.8 IQD 84.8K

76.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$42.67 IQD 55.9K

95.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$240 IQD 314.8K

155.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$134 IQD 175.4K

226.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$386 IQD 505.3K

442.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$150 IQD 196.5K

905.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$1,232 IQD 1.6M

204.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$481 IQD 630.0K

443.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$748 IQD 978.9K

-32.03%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for An Najaf: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $240 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 47% 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 $45.00 in Phuket versus $23.00 in An Najaf. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $170 – 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 88% 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 $1,009 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 $673 in An Najaf. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 196% less in An Najaf. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in An Najaf, where all-in costs run around $673, 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 $673 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.