Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Basra Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Basra

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $957 in Basra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,450 in Basra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $1,944 in Basra.

Living in Phuket is roughly 29% more expensive than in Basra, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Basra 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$4.51 IQD 5,906

-2.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$30.88 IQD 40.4K

4.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$7.42 IQD 9,712

20.35%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$2.55 IQD 3,345

13.73%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$0.44 IQD 571

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.34 IQD 445

41.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$3.90 IQD 5,113

-39.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$4.12 IQD 5,398

-9.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.12 IQD 1,462

66.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$0.70 IQD 917

110.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.47 IQD 1,919

5.44%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$1.82 IQD 2,380

15.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$7.53 IQD 9,861

160.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$6.36 IQD 8,333

-46.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$14.04 IQD 18.4K

-18.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$0.97 IQD 1,273

207.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.36 IQD 1,776

23.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$0.97 IQD 1,274

127.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$0.65 IQD 856

232.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$0.77 IQD 1,013

97.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$0.65 IQD 856

106.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$0.87 IQD 1,133

29.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.39 IQD 509

41.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$2.08 IQD 2,726

104.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$6.74 IQD 8,823

183.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$3.11 IQD 4,073

-42.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$3.92 IQD 5,135

-29.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$0.60 IQD 784

271.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

$18.72 IQD 24.5K

21.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$2.36 IQD 3,089

28.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$2.27 IQD 2,967

-55.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$7.06 IQD 9,240

-44.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$0.60 IQD 783

148.33%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$13.5K IQD 17.7M

97.06%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$23.2K IQD 30.4M

16.29%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$51.4 IQD 67.3K

99.24%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$25.89 IQD 33.9K

-56.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$39.73 IQD 52.0K

-56.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$36.24 IQD 47.5K

43.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$13.93 IQD 18.2K

-20.53%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$7.60 IQD 9,955

1.18%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$127 IQD 166.6K

340.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$3,881 IQD 5.1M

196.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$49.97 IQD 65.4K

26.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$20.04 IQD 26.2K

47.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$77.1 IQD 101.0K

27.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$41.43 IQD 54.3K

113.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$477 IQD 624.8K

54.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$346 IQD 453.0K

39.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$853 IQD 1.1M

146.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$626 IQD 819.5K

95.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$1,578 IQD 2.1M

129.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$786 IQD 1.0M

231.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$777 IQD 1.0M

-36.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.67

-1.76%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Basra: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $477 in Basra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Basra pays 57% 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 $31.00 in Basra for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $197 per month, with Basra 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 Basra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Basra differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $957 including rent). Basra is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 57% lower in Basra. 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: $738 in Phuket versus $477 in Basra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 39% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Basra – a meal for two runs $31.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $957 in Basra versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Basra but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Basra 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 Basra 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 Basra gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.