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: $1,264 in Phuket versus $731 in Az Zubayr.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,156 in Az Zubayr.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $1,581 in Az Zubayr.

Living in Phuket is roughly 73% more expensive than in Az Zubayr, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Az Zubayr 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$4.00 IQD 5,231

12.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$25.14 IQD 32.9K

81.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$6.98 IQD 9,134

25.50%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$2.55 IQD 3,336

16.47%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.40 IQD 521

72.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.20 IQD 266

95.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$2.96 IQD 3,879

-14.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$2.86 IQD 3,743

31.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.32 IQD 1,726

62.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$0.83 IQD 1,092

119.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.66 IQD 2,177

31.33%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$1.78 IQD 2,332

26.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$4.61 IQD 6,038

333.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$4.68 IQD 6,122

-22.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$13.21 IQD 17.3K

2.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$1.16 IQD 1,518

179.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.15 IQD 1,501

42.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.01 IQD 1,328

130.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$0.69 IQD 901

200.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$0.64 IQD 839

142.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$0.64 IQD 836

128.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$0.67 IQD 880

46.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.56 IQD 731

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$1.96 IQD 2,567

121.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$1.77 IQD 2,313

5.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$2.11 IQD 2,762

25.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.39 IQD 516

264.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$30.94 IQD 40.5K

-62.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$2.25 IQD 2,953

40.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$1.54 IQD 2,011

-33.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$5.95 IQD 7,788

133.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$0.57 IQD 743

135.09%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$19.2K IQD 25.1M

44.81%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$19.6K IQD 25.7M

70.38%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$77.0 IQD 100.8K

59.81%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$17.96 IQD 23.5K

-23.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$34.90 IQD 45.7K

-47.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$37.05 IQD 48.5K

63.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$16.50 IQD 21.6K

4.00%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$7.61 IQD 9,965

16.56%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$152 IQD 199.6K

351.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$3,308 IQD 4.3M

377.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$27.50 IQD 36.0K

115.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$24.98 IQD 32.7K

38.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$61.8 IQD 80.9K

86.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$40.34 IQD 52.8K

107.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$239 IQD 312.7K

160.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$181 IQD 236.4K

147.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$581 IQD 760.4K

250.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$346 IQD 453.3K

332.19%

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 Az Zubayr: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $25.00 in Az Zubayr for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 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 73% in total monthly costs ($1,264 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 $1,896 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: $621 in Phuket versus $239 in Az Zubayr. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 84% 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 $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $731 in Az Zubayr versus $1,264 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 73% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.