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: $1,265 in Phuket versus $742 in Basra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,351 in Basra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,960 in Basra.

Living in Phuket is roughly 71% more expensive than Basra, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$3.81 IQD 4,990

23.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,483

$24.77 IQD 32.4K

83.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$7.02 IQD 9,194

20.09%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.7

$2.06 IQD 2,695

42.23%

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

$0.69 ฿22.42

$0.44 IQD 572

56.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.00

$0.35 IQD 452

5.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$3.86 IQD 5,061

-37.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.70 IQD 3,532

37.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.0

$1.23 IQD 1,607

81.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.9

$0.70 IQD 919

161.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.9

$1.41 IQD 1,850

53.90%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.4

$1.92 IQD 2,512

15.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$8.05 IQD 10.5K

145.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$7.22 IQD 9,457

-49.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$13.20 IQD 17.3K

2.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$1.01 IQD 1,321

224.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$1.42 IQD 1,858

13.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$1.02 IQD 1,331

136.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$0.63 IQD 820

230.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.97

$0.71 IQD 932

115.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.41

$0.57 IQD 744

159.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.32

$0.83 IQD 1,085

19.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.68

$0.41 IQD 541

24.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$1.88 IQD 2,458

134.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿634

$12.76 IQD 16.7K

51.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$2.97 IQD 3,892

-40.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.7

$3.78 IQD 4,947

-28.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.83

$0.39 IQD 516

251.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$23.21 IQD 30.4K

-50.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.7

$2.31 IQD 3,028

30.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.51

$2.21 IQD 2,891

-55.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$6.76 IQD 8,847

108.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.55

$0.58 IQD 762

134.48%

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

$28.2K ฿921.9K

$13.3K IQD 17.4M

112.59%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$23.2K IQD 30.4M

41.72%

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

$122 ฿3,978

$56.6 IQD 74.1K

115.09%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$25.19 IQD 33.0K

-46.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿599

$38.41 IQD 50.3K

-52.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,969

$37.07 IQD 48.5K

62.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$15.48 IQD 20.3K

10.72%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$7.75 IQD 10.2K

12.13%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$97.0 IQD 127.0K

615.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.8K

$3,772 IQD 4.9M

315.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,946

$41.85 IQD 54.8K

42.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,137

$20.30 IQD 26.6K

71.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,746

$72.9 IQD 95.4K

57.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,723

$40.68 IQD 53.3K

104.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$455 IQD 595.7K

34.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$133 IQD 174.1K

228.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.5K

$918 IQD 1.2M

128.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$671 IQD 878.1K

125.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

$1,581 IQD 2.1M

137.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

$800 IQD 1.0M

226.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$763 IQD 998.7K

-33.38%

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 Basra: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $455 in Basra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Basra pays 50% 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 $25.00 in Basra for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $213 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 71% in total monthly costs ($1,265 vs $742 including rent). Basra is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Basra earns 50% 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 $455 in Basra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 38% 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 $25.00 versus $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $742 in Basra versus $1,265 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 71% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.