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: $1,232 in Phuket versus $886 in As Samawah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $1,349 in As Samawah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $1,813 in As Samawah.

Living in Phuket is roughly 39% more expensive than As Samawah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, As Samawah 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$5.37 IQD 7,038

-13.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$35.74 IQD 46.8K

31.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$7.63 IQD 10.0K

15.86%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$3.00 IQD 3,925

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.39 IQD 513

89.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.17 IQD 216

117.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$3.51 IQD 4,594

-30.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$2.91 IQD 3,816

24.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.31 IQD 1,719

72.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$0.82 IQD 1,080

124.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.63 IQD 2,136

37.42%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$1.61 IQD 2,110

44.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$4.39 IQD 5,746

348.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$5.06 IQD 6,625

-27.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$13.83 IQD 18.1K

-5.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$1.02 IQD 1,333

232.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$0.99 IQD 1,294

65.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$0.69 IQD 903

249.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$0.49 IQD 639

314.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$0.66 IQD 862

136.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$0.63 IQD 822

138.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$0.32 IQD 418

218.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.67 IQD 878

-26.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$2.11 IQD 2,765

110.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$7.59 IQD 9,945

148.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.84 IQD 2,413

-3.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$2.18 IQD 2,858

26.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$0.40 IQD 521

250.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

$31.26 IQD 40.9K

-63.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$3.73 IQD 4,885

-16.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$1.54 IQD 2,019

-35.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$7.69 IQD 10.1K

83.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$0.54 IQD 704

150.00%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

36.09%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$20.1K IQD 26.3M

64.11%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$176 IQD 230.0K

-28.81%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$25.49 IQD 33.4K

-46.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$40.86 IQD 53.5K

-54.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$37.44 IQD 49.0K

64.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

$16.54 IQD 21.7K

1.81%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$7.82 IQD 10.2K

17.52%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$166 IQD 217.7K

320.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$3,567 IQD 4.7M

337.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$28.20 IQD 36.9K

104.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$31.03 IQD 40.6K

13.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$65.3 IQD 85.5K

73.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$43.89 IQD 57.5K

96.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$243 IQD 318.0K

153.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$176 IQD 230.2K

153.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$576 IQD 755.1K

255.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$347 IQD 455.0K

329.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for As Samawah: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $243 in As Samawah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $36.00 in As Samawah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $172 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 39% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $1,329 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: $616 in Phuket versus $243 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 172% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $698 in Phuket versus $166 in As Samawah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $886 in As Samawah versus $1,232 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 39% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.