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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $1,101 in Erbil, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $1,630 in Erbil, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $2,158 in Erbil, rent included.

Phuket costs about 12% more than Erbil, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Erbil are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 10% lower, Erbil 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$7.69 IQD 10.1K

-42.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,073

$44.38 IQD 58.1K

-27.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

$8.42 IQD 11.0K

6.06%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.3

$3.84 IQD 5,027

-24.48%

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

$0.88 ฿29.27

$1.03 IQD 1,353

-14.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.00

$0.44 IQD 580

9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.2

$6.05 IQD 7,920

-61.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$4.71 IQD 6,166

-21.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.0

$1.27 IQD 1,657

47.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.75

$0.83 IQD 1,083

77.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.68 IQD 2,197

-7.74%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿69.9

$1.79 IQD 2,345

17.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿651

$8.06 IQD 10.6K

143.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$5.78 IQD 7,574

-40.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿378

$14.84 IQD 19.4K

-23.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.2

$1.13 IQD 1,483

163.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.0

$1.10 IQD 1,443

52.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

$1.23 IQD 1,612

79.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿71.9

$0.82 IQD 1,068

163.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

$0.70 IQD 911

117.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.49

$0.69 IQD 905

94.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.53

$0.74 IQD 969

52.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.17

$0.55 IQD 723

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$2.52 IQD 3,294

69.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

$12.54 IQD 16.4K

52.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

$1.69 IQD 2,217

5.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.5

$2.09 IQD 2,735

33.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.1

$0.59 IQD 772

277.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿756

$43.81 IQD 57.4K

-48.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$1.94 IQD 2,544

56.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.02

$1.82 IQD 2,381

-43.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿129

$6.56 IQD 8,588

-40.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.57

$0.67 IQD 882

122.39%

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

$26.6K ฿883.8K

$18.3K IQD 24.0M

45.06%

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

$27.0K ฿898.7K

$20.1K IQD 26.3M

34.36%

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

$102 ฿3,407

$128 IQD 167.0K

-19.64%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$13.95 IQD 18.3K

-18.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿578

$28.49 IQD 37.3K

-38.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,732

$66.0 IQD 86.4K

-21.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿368

$14.62 IQD 19.1K

-24.28%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$11.67 IQD 15.3K

-34.10%

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

$561 ฿18.6K

$309 IQD 405.1K

81.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿382.6K

$3,144 IQD 4.1M

265.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,096

$31.32 IQD 41.0K

101.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿982

$44.84 IQD 58.7K

-34.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,259

$69.3 IQD 90.7K

41.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,943

$67.4 IQD 88.3K

31.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.5K

$460 IQD 602.5K

60.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.0K

$297 IQD 389.4K

62.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.0K

$740 IQD 969.5K

184.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

$432 IQD 566.1K

183.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.3K

$1,092 IQD 1.4M

231.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.5K

$665 IQD 870.8K

291.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

$614 IQD 803.9K

-19.59%

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: September 15, 2026

Last update for Erbil: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Phuket versus $460 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 24% 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $44.00 in Erbil. Groceries tell a different story – $274 in Phuket vs $204 in Erbil – so Erbil wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 12%, 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 $1,847 per month in Phuket and $1,652 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 34% 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 $32.00 in Phuket and $44.00 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 $1,101, than in Phuket at $1,232. 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.