Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Duhok

For one person, living is cheaper in Duhok: $608 a month against $1,208 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $7,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,208
/mo nomad
Duhok
🇮🇶 Iraq
$608
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Duhok

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Duhok actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,208 in Phuket versus $608 in Duhok.

  • Phuket $1,208
  • Duhok $608

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,027 in Phuket versus $978 in Duhok.

  • Phuket $2,027
  • Duhok $978

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,845 in Phuket versus $1,349 in Duhok.

  • Phuket $2,845
  • Duhok $1,349

Living in Phuket is roughly 99% more expensive than in Duhok, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 11% lower, Duhok 55% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Duhok
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.40 ฿147
$3.38 IQD 5,111
30.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.26 ฿1,078
$16.59 IQD 25.1K
94.45%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.76 ฿293
$7.40 IQD 11.2K
18.38%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿94.5
$2.43 IQD 3,665
16.46%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90 ฿30.14
$0.32 IQD 481
181.25%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.47 ฿15.56
$0.19 IQD 294
147.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.55 ฿85.2
$1.69 IQD 2,550
50.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.83 ฿128
$1.94 IQD 2,932
97.42%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Duhok
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.73 ฿57.7
$1.11 IQD 1,680
55.86%
White Bread (500g)
$1.47 ฿49.11
$0.67 IQD 1,016
119.40%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 ฿50.6
$1.48 IQD 2,232
2.03%
Eggs
$2.17 ฿72.7
$1.58 IQD 2,391
37.34%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.70 ฿658
$4.87 IQD 7,359
304.52%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.34 ฿112
$2.96 IQD 4,478
12.84%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.16 ฿373
$10.95 IQD 16.6K
1.92%
Apples (1kg)
$2.85 ฿95.1
$0.99 IQD 1,489
187.88%
Banana (1kg)
$1.70 ฿56.9
$0.97 IQD 1,461
75.26%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.19 ฿73.3
$0.75 IQD 1,136
192.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.05 ฿68.4
$0.63 IQD 959
225.40%
Potato (1kg)
$1.45 ฿48.57
$0.61 IQD 919
137.70%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.16
$0.62 IQD 940
122.58%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.69
$0.61 IQD 926
75.41%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 ฿16.91
$0.52 IQD 787
-1.92%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26 ฿142
$1.73 IQD 2,609
146.24%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.58 ฿621
$10.97 IQD 16.6K
69.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 ฿59.7
$1.40 IQD 2,121
27.14%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.85 ฿95.2
$1.79 IQD 2,700
59.22%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Duhok
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.26 ฿75.6
$0.30 IQD 459
653.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.10 ฿738
$15.64 IQD 23.6K
41.30%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.01 ฿101
$1.60 IQD 2,420
88.12%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.06 ฿35.34
$1.29 IQD 1,945
-17.83%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.86 ฿129
$5.52 IQD 8,343
-30.07%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ฿48.45
$0.54 IQD 819
168.52%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.3K ฿879.9K
$16.6K IQD 25.1M
58.44%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.9K ฿900.4K
$17.1K IQD 25.9M
57.47%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Duhok
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,221
$87.3 IQD 131.8K
10.46%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.04 ฿369
$8.86 IQD 13.4K
24.60%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.14 ฿573
$23.83 IQD 36.0K
-28.07%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Duhok
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.2 ฿1,744
$50.1 IQD 75.7K
4.09%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.16 ฿373
$26.55 IQD 40.1K
-57.97%
Cinema Ticket
$7.81 ฿261
$7.52 IQD 11.4K
3.86%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Duhok
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$556 ฿18.6K
$106 IQD 160.6K
423.18%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.6K ฿387.0K
$2,727 IQD 4.1M
324.60%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Duhok
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$64.2 ฿2,146
$10.02 IQD 15.1K
540.72%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.69 ฿959
$20.32 IQD 30.7K
41.19%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$95.4 ฿3,187
$30.27 IQD 45.7K
215.03%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.0 ฿2,940
$19.60 IQD 29.6K
348.88%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Duhok
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$737 ฿24.6K
$157 IQD 237.0K
369.92%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$462 ฿15.5K
$116 IQD 174.7K
299.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,095 ฿70.0K
$329 IQD 496.7K
537.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,201 ฿40.1K
$324 IQD 489.1K
270.98%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,488 ฿116.6K
$445 IQD 671.8K
684.39%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,523 ฿84.3K
$362 IQD 547.1K
596.74%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Duhok
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$501 ฿16.7K
$415 IQD 627.4K
20.59%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
2.53
120.16%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 19, 2026

Last update for Duhok: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$462
Duhok
$116 75% $347
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$269
Duhok
$154 42.8% $115
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$125
Duhok
$120 3.7% $4.6
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$124
Duhok
$36 71% $88
Eating Out
Phuket
$121
Duhok
$93 23.5% $28
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$68
Duhok
$65 3.9% $2.6
Getting Around
Phuket
$39
Duhok
$25 36.9% $15

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $737 in Phuket and $157 in Duhok. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 21% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $17.00 in Duhok for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $154 per month, with Duhok cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇮🇶 Duhok
🕒 Local time
05:14 5:14 AM
01:14 1:14 AM
4 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
340,900
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د
Exchange rates and currency converter

IQD, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 23, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Iraqi Dinar exchange rates as of October 23, 2026: 1 USD = 1,511 IQD (10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD). 1 EUR = 1,699 IQD (10,000 IQD = 5.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Duhok 6,430 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Duhok

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Duhok: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Phuket and in Duhok?
Phuket and Duhok differ by about 99% in total monthly costs ($1,208 vs $608 including rent). Duhok is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Phuket or Duhok?
Average pay runs 21% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Phuket and in Duhok?
Rent for a central apartment: $737 in Phuket versus $157 in Duhok. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Phuket and Duhok?
Childcare runs $556 in Phuket versus $106 in Duhok. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 75% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $608 in Duhok versus $1,208 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Duhok but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Duhok the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Phuket and Duhok?
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.
Is Phuket or Duhok safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Duhok are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Phuket or Duhok?
Expats usually find Duhok gentler on the wallet – expenses run 99% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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