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: $1,261 in Phuket versus $895 in As Samawah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,362 in As Samawah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $1,828 in As Samawah.

Living in Phuket is roughly 41% more expensive than As Samawah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, As Samawah 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$5.25 IQD 6,880

-13.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$36.58 IQD 47.9K

27.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$7.56 IQD 9,893

12.04%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$3.08 IQD 4,032

-1.62%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.39 IQD 517

76.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.17 IQD 228

117.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$3.50 IQD 4,585

-28.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.93 IQD 3,832

24.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.35 IQD 1,770

61.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$0.78 IQD 1,027

143.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.65 IQD 2,157

33.33%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$1.63 IQD 2,139

36.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$4.63 IQD 6,061

331.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$4.99 IQD 6,536

-26.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$14.23 IQD 18.6K

-6.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$1.03 IQD 1,344

213.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$0.98 IQD 1,280

73.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$0.71 IQD 935

236.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$0.51 IQD 672

307.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.64 IQD 845

148.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$0.68 IQD 889

117.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$0.34 IQD 449

202.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.62 IQD 806

-16.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$2.16 IQD 2,831

96.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

139.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.77 IQD 2,317

-0.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$2.19 IQD 2,868

26.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.40 IQD 519

240.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$30.96 IQD 40.5K

-63.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$3.93 IQD 5,143

-20.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$1.49 IQD 1,952

-30.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$7.83 IQD 10.3K

75.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$0.57 IQD 746

135.09%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$20.2K IQD 26.5M

36.88%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$20.2K IQD 26.5M

67.28%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$175 IQD 228.8K

-29.26%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$25.47 IQD 33.4K

-46.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$40.93 IQD 53.6K

-54.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$36.29 IQD 47.5K

70.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$16.89 IQD 22.1K

2.13%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$7.69 IQD 10.1K

18.86%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$164 IQD 215.1K

327.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$3,589 IQD 4.7M

342.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$28.94 IQD 37.9K

105.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$31.14 IQD 40.8K

12.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$64.0 IQD 83.8K

80.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$44.11 IQD 57.8K

90.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$242 IQD 316.6K

155.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$175 IQD 229.5K

146.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$579 IQD 758.5K

255.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$348 IQD 456.2K

333.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿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: June 7, 2026

Last update for As Samawah: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $242 in As Samawah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $37.00 in As Samawah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 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 41% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,892 in Phuket and $1,343 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: $619 in Phuket versus $242 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 173% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $164 in As Samawah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $895 in As Samawah versus $1,261 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 41% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.