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: $1,261 in Phuket versus $746 in Az Zubayr.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,164 in Az Zubayr.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $1,582 in Az Zubayr.

Living in Phuket is roughly 69% more expensive than Az Zubayr, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Az Zubayr 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$3.97 IQD 5,205

14.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$24.81 IQD 32.5K

87.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$6.76 IQD 8,848

25.30%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$2.63 IQD 3,446

15.21%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.36 IQD 475

91.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.16 IQD 213

131.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$2.86 IQD 3,745

-12.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.93 IQD 3,833

24.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.36 IQD 1,777

60.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$0.82 IQD 1,076

131.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.64 IQD 2,151

34.15%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$1.81 IQD 2,364

22.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$4.42 IQD 5,784

352.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$4.81 IQD 6,292

-23.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$13.18 IQD 17.3K

0.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$1.14 IQD 1,490

183.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.15 IQD 1,506

47.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.01 IQD 1,323

136.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$0.69 IQD 905

201.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.69 IQD 904

130.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$0.67 IQD 874

120.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$0.62 IQD 817

66.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.56 IQD 737

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$1.94 IQD 2,534

119.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.80 IQD 2,357

-2.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$2.14 IQD 2,809

28.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.40 IQD 522

240.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$31.60 IQD 41.4K

-64.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$2.29 IQD 2,996

37.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$1.47 IQD 1,926

-29.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$5.96 IQD 7,804

131.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$0.57 IQD 743

135.09%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$19.4K IQD 25.4M

42.47%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$20.1K IQD 26.3M

68.88%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$77.3 IQD 101.3K

59.84%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$17.58 IQD 23.0K

-23.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$34.04 IQD 44.6K

-45.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$37.06 IQD 48.5K

66.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$17.12 IQD 22.4K

0.76%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$7.50 IQD 9,822

21.87%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$153 IQD 200.4K

359.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$3,284 IQD 4.3M

383.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$27.32 IQD 35.8K

117.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$25.03 IQD 32.8K

40.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$61.8 IQD 81.0K

86.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$41.83 IQD 54.8K

100.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$243 IQD 317.6K

155.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$179 IQD 234.4K

141.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$586 IQD 767.7K

251.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$344 IQD 451.1K

338.70%

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 Az Zubayr: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $243 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 $293 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 69% in total monthly costs ($1,261 vs $746 including rent). Az Zubayr is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,892 in Phuket and $1,118 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: $619 in Phuket versus $243 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 $746 in Az Zubayr versus $1,261 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 69% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.