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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $1,034 in Erbil, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $1,522 in Erbil, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $2,010 in Erbil, rent included.

Phuket costs about 21% 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

$4.55 ฿153

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

-40.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,554

$22.64 IQD 29.6K

103.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿298

$8.88 IQD 11.6K

-0.45%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$3.20 IQD 4,189

-4.38%

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

$0.73 ฿24.42

$0.48 IQD 630

52.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.40

$0.20 IQD 262

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$1.93 IQD 2,523

25.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$2.14 IQD 2,803

76.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.31 IQD 1,719

72.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$0.85 IQD 1,108

112.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.86 IQD 2,439

20.97%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.6

$1.98 IQD 2,590

13.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$7.23 IQD 9,474

169.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$4.72 IQD 6,184

-22.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$14.24 IQD 18.7K

-8.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$1.19 IQD 1,563

171.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.15 IQD 1,505

40.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.2

$1.15 IQD 1,502

106.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.2

$0.81 IQD 1,057

150.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$0.68 IQD 888

125.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$0.75 IQD 980

100.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.93

$0.73 IQD 952

34.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.40

$0.57 IQD 742

-8.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$2.62 IQD 3,428

69.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$12.19 IQD 16.0K

50.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.39 IQD 1,824

33.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.2

$1.97 IQD 2,579

36.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.49

$0.59 IQD 776

138.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

$35.14 IQD 46.0K

-66.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$2.25 IQD 2,942

38.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.08

$2.33 IQD 3,052

-55.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿475

$6.75 IQD 8,845

109.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.13

$0.65 IQD 849

101.54%

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

$27.8K ฿936.0K

$19.4K IQD 25.4M

43.37%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$20.8K IQD 27.3M

59.40%

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

$122 ฿4,120

$102 IQD 133.2K

20.41%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$17.42 IQD 22.8K

-21.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$29.58 IQD 38.7K

-36.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,035

$73.8 IQD 96.6K

-17.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

$11.55 IQD 15.1K

47.01%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$11.41 IQD 14.9K

-20.51%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$263 IQD 343.7K

169.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.8K

$3,250 IQD 4.3M

386.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,970

$33.46 IQD 43.8K

74.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,190

$49.61 IQD 65.0K

-28.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,885

$81.1 IQD 106.2K

42.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,818

$76.5 IQD 100.2K

9.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.1K

$429 IQD 562.2K

45.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$275 IQD 360.3K

61.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.7K

$732 IQD 958.5K

178.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$495 IQD 647.8K

201.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

$1,130 IQD 1.5M

208.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$660 IQD 864.4K

290.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$581 IQD 760.9K

-13.97%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Erbil: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Phuket versus $429 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 16% 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $23.00 in Erbil. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $195 – 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 21%, 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 $1,875 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 48% 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 $46.00 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 $1,250. 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.