Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Erbil Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Erbil

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $1,034 in Erbil, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $1,548 in Erbil, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $2,061 in Erbil, rent included.

Phuket costs about 22% more than Erbil, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Erbil are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Erbil 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$7.72 IQD 10.1K

-39.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$22.83 IQD 29.9K

98.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$8.98 IQD 11.8K

-6.12%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$3.13 IQD 4,096

-6.39%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.49 IQD 640

40.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.20 IQD 261

85.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$2.00 IQD 2,624

20.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.14 IQD 2,797

73.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.32 IQD 1,730

68.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$0.84 IQD 1,103

117.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.80 IQD 2,355

20.56%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$1.98 IQD 2,599

11.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$7.54 IQD 9,879

161.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$4.80 IQD 6,282

-24.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$14.29 IQD 18.7K

-5.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$1.14 IQD 1,491

187.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.20 IQD 1,567

34.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.19 IQD 1,561

102.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$0.76 IQD 994

173.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$0.70 IQD 918

118.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$0.72 IQD 938

105.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.78 IQD 1,018

26.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.53 IQD 688

-3.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$2.63 IQD 3,449

67.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$12.55 IQD 16.4K

54.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.45 IQD 1,899

22.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$2.01 IQD 2,633

34.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.54 IQD 709

153.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$34.09 IQD 44.6K

-66.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$2.35 IQD 3,084

28.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$2.20 IQD 2,885

-55.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$6.87 IQD 8,999

105.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$0.70 IQD 911

94.29%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$19.1K IQD 25.0M

47.65%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

59.02%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$102 IQD 134.1K

18.80%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$17.93 IQD 23.5K

-24.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$29.33 IQD 38.4K

-37.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$72.7 IQD 95.2K

-17.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$11.77 IQD 15.4K

45.62%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$11.62 IQD 15.2K

-25.22%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$269 IQD 352.1K

157.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$3,278 IQD 4.3M

378.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$32.74 IQD 42.9K

81.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$48.36 IQD 63.3K

-28.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$81.0 IQD 106.0K

41.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$76.8 IQD 100.5K

8.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$426 IQD 557.6K

44.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$278 IQD 364.4K

57.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$726 IQD 951.1K

188.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$485 IQD 635.3K

211.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$1,123 IQD 1.5M

233.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$658 IQD 862.2K

297.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$584 IQD 765.0K

-13.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

14.33

-62.81%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Erbil: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $426 in Erbil. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 15% higher in Erbil, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket versus $23.00 in Erbil. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $197 – making Erbil the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Erbil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 22%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $1,551 in Erbil. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Erbil, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 49% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket and $23.00 in Erbil. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Erbil, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Erbil it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Erbil – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Erbil. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.