Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Baghdad Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Baghdad

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,054 in Baghdad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,592 in Baghdad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $2,130 in Baghdad.

Living in Phuket is roughly 20% more expensive than Baghdad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Baghdad 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$5.48 IQD 7,181

-14.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$36.97 IQD 48.4K

22.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$7.57 IQD 9,909

11.36%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$3.06 IQD 4,003

-4.25%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.40 IQD 518

72.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.18 IQD 242

105.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$3.42 IQD 4,485

-29.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.94 IQD 3,853

26.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.32 IQD 1,726

68.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$0.78 IQD 1,017

134.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.65 IQD 2,166

31.52%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$1.79 IQD 2,350

23.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$4.40 IQD 5,763

348.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$5.07 IQD 6,636

-28.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$14.34 IQD 18.8K

-5.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$1.23 IQD 1,612

166.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.17 IQD 1,530

37.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.01 IQD 1,329

138.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$0.70 IQD 922

197.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$0.70 IQD 911

118.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$0.64 IQD 835

131.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.63 IQD 822

57.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.66 IQD 871

-22.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$2.11 IQD 2,765

109.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$13.35 IQD 17.5K

45.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.76 IQD 2,301

1.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$2.15 IQD 2,815

26.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.78 IQD 1,027

75.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$28.60 IQD 37.4K

-60.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$3.88 IQD 5,087

-22.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$1.47 IQD 1,923

-32.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

79.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$0.56 IQD 737

142.86%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

38.83%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$19.9K IQD 26.1M

65.33%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$181 IQD 237.4K

-32.87%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$25.40 IQD 33.3K

-46.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$40.16 IQD 52.6K

-54.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$41.29 IQD 54.1K

45.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$18.43 IQD 24.1K

-7.00%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$7.82 IQD 10.2K

11.13%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$163 IQD 213.2K

326.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$3,573 IQD 4.7M

339.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$28.57 IQD 37.4K

108.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$30.72 IQD 40.2K

13.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$63.4 IQD 83.0K

80.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$43.53 IQD 57.0K

91.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$540 IQD 707.6K

13.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$321 IQD 420.5K

36.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$818 IQD 1.1M

155.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$580 IQD 759.9K

160.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$4,034 IQD 5.3M

-7.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$1,617 IQD 2.1M

61.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$642 IQD 841.2K

-20.90%

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 2, 2026

Last update for Baghdad: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $540 in Baghdad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Baghdad pays 26% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $37.00 in Baghdad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $191 per month, with Baghdad 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 Baghdad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baghdad wins on cost – living expenses run 20% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Baghdad the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Baghdad earns 26% 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: $613 in Phuket versus $540 in Baghdad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Baghdad runs roughly 151% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $163 in Baghdad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,054 in Baghdad versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Baghdad but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Baghdad the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Baghdad delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,054 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Baghdad hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Baghdad 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 Baghdad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.