Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Az Zubayr Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Az Zubayr

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $731 in Az Zubayr.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $1,154 in Az Zubayr.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $1,577 in Az Zubayr.

Living in Phuket is roughly 68% more expensive than Az Zubayr, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Az Zubayr 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$3.97 IQD 5,195

16.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$25.15 IQD 32.9K

86.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$6.96 IQD 9,113

27.01%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$2.59 IQD 3,388

15.83%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.40 IQD 523

85.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.17 IQD 226

117.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$2.98 IQD 3,907

-18.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$2.88 IQD 3,778

25.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.36 IQD 1,785

66.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$0.78 IQD 1,025

135.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.59 IQD 2,082

40.88%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$1.71 IQD 2,240

35.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$4.44 IQD 5,814

343.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$4.80 IQD 6,287

-23.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$13.15 IQD 17.2K

-0.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$1.15 IQD 1,511

194.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.21 IQD 1,590

35.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.06 IQD 1,385

127.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$0.71 IQD 930

185.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$0.70 IQD 912

122.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$0.67 IQD 879

123.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$0.63 IQD 823

61.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.56 IQD 733

-12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$1.88 IQD 2,466

136.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.78 IQD 2,329

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$2.19 IQD 2,869

25.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$0.37 IQD 482

278.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

$31.53 IQD 41.3K

-63.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$2.24 IQD 2,931

39.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$1.53 IQD 2,005

-34.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$5.83 IQD 7,633

141.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$0.58 IQD 754

132.76%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$18.8K IQD 24.7M

44.30%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$20.1K IQD 26.3M

63.70%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$78.8 IQD 103.2K

58.68%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$17.71 IQD 23.2K

-23.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$34.72 IQD 45.5K

-46.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$36.40 IQD 47.7K

68.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

$16.73 IQD 21.9K

0.66%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$7.44 IQD 9,751

23.52%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$151 IQD 197.4K

363.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$3,308 IQD 4.3M

371.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$27.58 IQD 36.1K

109.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$24.87 IQD 32.6K

41.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$61.2 IQD 80.2K

84.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$41.29 IQD 54.1K

109.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$242 IQD 316.5K

154.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$175 IQD 229.6K

154.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$571 IQD 748.4K

258.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$350 IQD 459.1K

325.81%

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 Az Zubayr: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $242 in Az Zubayr. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $25.00 in Az Zubayr for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $158 per month, with Az Zubayr 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 Az Zubayr: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Az Zubayr differ by about 68% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $731 including rent). Az Zubayr is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $1,097 in Az Zubayr 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 $242 in Az Zubayr. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 85% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Az Zubayr – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $731 in Az Zubayr versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Az Zubayr but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Az Zubayr the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Az Zubayr 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 Az Zubayr gentler on the wallet – expenses run 68% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.