Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and As Samawah Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and As Samawah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $892 in As Samawah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,353 in As Samawah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $1,814 in As Samawah.

Living in Phuket is roughly 42% more expensive than in As Samawah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, As Samawah 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$5.24 IQD 6,866

-14.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$36.43 IQD 47.7K

25.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$7.73 IQD 10.1K

13.32%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$3.04 IQD 3,987

-2.30%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.37 IQD 484

86.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.20 IQD 265

95.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$3.48 IQD 4,553

-27.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$2.93 IQD 3,837

27.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.37 IQD 1,799

56.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$0.82 IQD 1,074

121.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.60 IQD 2,089

36.25%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$1.64 IQD 2,146

37.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$4.60 IQD 6,022

334.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$4.83 IQD 6,329

-24.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$14.18 IQD 18.6K

-4.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$1.03 IQD 1,347

214.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.02 IQD 1,339

60.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$0.68 IQD 893

242.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$0.51 IQD 673

305.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$0.70 IQD 916

121.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$0.62 IQD 817

135.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$0.31 IQD 411

216.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.62 IQD 806

-22.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$2.08 IQD 2,723

109.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$7.73 IQD 10.1K

140.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$1.80 IQD 2,352

3.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$2.07 IQD 2,716

28.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.39 IQD 516

264.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$30.89 IQD 40.5K

-62.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$3.91 IQD 5,117

-18.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$1.54 IQD 2,021

-33.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$7.62 IQD 9,979

82.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$0.56 IQD 734

139.29%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$19.7K IQD 25.8M

40.87%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$19.8K IQD 26.0M

68.34%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$179 IQD 234.3K

-31.23%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$26.15 IQD 34.2K

-47.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$40.39 IQD 52.9K

-54.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$36.08 IQD 47.2K

68.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$16.91 IQD 22.1K

1.48%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

15.05%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$169 IQD 220.9K

307.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$3,635 IQD 4.8M

334.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$28.02 IQD 36.7K

111.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$30.35 IQD 39.7K

14.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$63.5 IQD 83.1K

81.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$43.10 IQD 56.4K

94.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$239 IQD 312.9K

159.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$182 IQD 238.1K

145.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$579 IQD 758.4K

251.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$349 IQD 457.2K

328.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

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 As Samawah: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $239 in As Samawah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $36.00 in As Samawah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $173 per month, with As Samawah 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 As Samawah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

As Samawah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 42% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,896 in Phuket and $1,338 in As Samawah 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 $239 in As Samawah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in As Samawah runs roughly 167% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $688 in Phuket versus $169 in As Samawah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $892 in As Samawah versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in As Samawah but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes As Samawah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, As Samawah 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 As Samawah 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 As Samawah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.