Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ba'qubah Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ba'qubah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $658 in Ba'qubah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $989 in Ba'qubah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $1,320 in Ba'qubah.

Living in Phuket is roughly 92% more expensive than Ba'qubah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Ba'qubah 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$4.84 IQD 6,342

-5.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$15.44 IQD 20.2K

202.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$6.45 IQD 8,452

31.32%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$1.16 IQD 1,521

161.21%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.52 IQD 682

32.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.22 IQD 286

68.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$1.93 IQD 2,523

29.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.13 IQD 2,786

71.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.18 IQD 1,546

84.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$0.59 IQD 772

222.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.12 IQD 1,461

96.43%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$1.41 IQD 1,852

57.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$2.23 IQD 2,923

796.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.52 IQD 3,297

45.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$10.81 IQD 14.2K

22.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$0.99 IQD 1,296

226.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.18 IQD 1,542

44.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$0.98 IQD 1,283

143.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$0.55 IQD 721

278.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.55 IQD 714

189.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$0.65 IQD 846

127.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$0.46 IQD 606

123.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.17 IQD 216

205.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$2.62 IQD 3,425

62.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$12.21 IQD 16.0K

53.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.37 IQD 1,798

28.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$2.02 IQD 2,649

36.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.40 IQD 518

240.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$31.03 IQD 40.6K

-63.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$2.35 IQD 3,072

33.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$2.12 IQD 2,774

-50.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$5.24 IQD 6,865

162.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$0.35 IQD 464

282.86%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$19.0K IQD 24.9M

45.47%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

66.31%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$59.3 IQD 77.6K

108.49%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$17.34 IQD 22.7K

-22.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$26.66 IQD 34.9K

-29.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$19.45 IQD 25.5K

217.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$16.98 IQD 22.2K

1.59%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$3.85 IQD 5,040

137.40%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$26.46 IQD 34.6K

2555.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$638 IQD 835.2K

2388.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$18.99 IQD 24.9K

213.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$19.30 IQD 25.3K

81.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$81.1 IQD 106.2K

42.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$26.36 IQD 34.5K

218.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$245 IQD 321.3K

152.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$181 IQD 236.6K

139.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$573 IQD 750.2K

259.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$350 IQD 458.1K

331.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$772 IQD 1.0M

372.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$193 IQD 252.4K

1262.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$718 IQD 940.5K

-29.41%

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 Ba'qubah: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $245 in Ba'qubah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ba'qubah pays 42% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $15.00 in Ba'qubah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $140 per month, with Ba'qubah 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 Ba'qubah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ba'qubah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 92% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Ba'qubah earns 42% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $245 in Ba'qubah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 109% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Ba'qubah – a meal for two runs $15.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $658 in Ba'qubah versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ba'qubah but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Ba'qubah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ba'qubah 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 Ba'qubah 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 Ba'qubah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 92% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.