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 $1,124 in Baghdad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $1,692 in Baghdad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $2,259 in Baghdad.

Living in Phuket is roughly 13% more expensive than in Baghdad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Baghdad 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$4.74 IQD 6,209

-1.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$33.69 IQD 44.1K

-4.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$7.75 IQD 10.1K

12.00%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$3.07 IQD 4,024

-5.54%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$0.40 IQD 521

110.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.24 IQD 313

104.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$3.87 IQD 5,071

-35.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$3.75 IQD 4,911

-0.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$1.09 IQD 1,423

73.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$0.80 IQD 1,042

76.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$1.51 IQD 1,982

7.28%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$1.82 IQD 2,386

23.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$3.90 IQD 5,106

408.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$4.70 IQD 6,149

-25.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$14.34 IQD 18.8K

-20.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$1.12 IQD 1,465

158.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$1.06 IQD 1,389

62.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$1.07 IQD 1,400

112.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$0.74 IQD 967

187.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$0.66 IQD 860

122.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$0.70 IQD 915

102.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$0.62 IQD 813

77.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$0.65 IQD 845

-7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$1.78 IQD 2,333

142.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$13.68 IQD 17.9K

35.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$2.14 IQD 2,798

-15.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$2.27 IQD 2,971

30.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

$0.64 IQD 838

251.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

$22.99 IQD 30.1K

2.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$2.25 IQD 2,941

37.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$1.48 IQD 1,944

-27.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$7.77 IQD 10.2K

-50.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$0.67 IQD 877

113.43%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$19.4K IQD 25.4M

43.40%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$19.1K IQD 25.0M

41.23%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$214 IQD 280.5K

-51.07%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$21.41 IQD 28.0K

-46.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$42.10 IQD 55.1K

-58.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

$47.30 IQD 61.9K

14.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

$22.04 IQD 28.9K

-48.09%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$10.76 IQD 14.1K

-27.70%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$165 IQD 215.5K

250.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$3,445 IQD 4.5M

236.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$29.79 IQD 39.0K

113.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$38.31 IQD 50.2K

-24.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$74.4 IQD 97.5K

29.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$47.59 IQD 62.3K

89.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$566 IQD 741.8K

29.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$346 IQD 453.5K

44.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

$959 IQD 1.3M

121.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$679 IQD 889.1K

84.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

$4,665 IQD 6.1M

-24.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

$1,599 IQD 2.1M

64.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

$615 IQD 805.6K

-17.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.12

35.19%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Baghdad: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $733 in Phuket and $566 in Baghdad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Baghdad pays 21% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $34.00 in Baghdad. Groceries flip the comparison at $275 vs $186, with Baghdad cheaper for home cooking.

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 13% 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, salaries run 21% lower in Baghdad. 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: $733 in Phuket versus $566 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 2% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $576 in Phuket versus $165 in Baghdad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,124 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 $1,124 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 13% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.