Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mashhad Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mashhad

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $640 in Mashhad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $931 in Mashhad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $1,223 in Mashhad.

Living in Phuket is roughly 92% more expensive than in Mashhad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Mashhad 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$4.67 IQD 6,120

-5.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,073

$34.11 IQD 44.7K

-5.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

$7.65 IQD 10.0K

16.73%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.3

$3.08 IQD 4,035

-5.84%

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

$0.88 ฿29.27

$0.40 IQD 519

120.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.00

$0.24 IQD 312

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.2

$3.88 IQD 5,082

-39.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$3.89 IQD 5,088

-4.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.0

$1.05 IQD 1,371

78.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.75

$0.82 IQD 1,076

79.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.58 IQD 2,067

-1.90%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿69.9

$0.81 IQD 1,063

159.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿651

$3.80 IQD 4,980

415.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$2.04 IQD 2,676

67.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿378

$2.92 IQD 3,820

289.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.2

$1.01 IQD 1,325

195.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.0

$1.12 IQD 1,467

50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

$0.98 IQD 1,281

125.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿71.9

$0.68 IQD 889

217.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

$0.67 IQD 873

126.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.49

$0.64 IQD 837

109.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.53

$0.31 IQD 407

264.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.17

$0.21 IQD 274

161.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$0.76 IQD 996

460.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

$13.55 IQD 17.7K

40.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

$2.14 IQD 2,799

-16.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.5

$2.26 IQD 2,953

23.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.1

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿756

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$2.25 IQD 2,947

34.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.02

$1.51 IQD 1,979

-32.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿129

$7.52 IQD 9,851

-48.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.57

$0.65 IQD 857

129.23%

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

$26.6K ฿883.8K

$18.9K IQD 24.8M

40.42%

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

$27.0K ฿898.7K

$18.9K IQD 24.8M

42.90%

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

$102 ฿3,407

$215 IQD 281.7K

-52.37%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$21.21 IQD 27.8K

-46.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿578

$42.34 IQD 55.4K

-58.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,732

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$10.60 IQD 13.9K

-27.45%

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

$561 ฿18.6K

$165 IQD 216.6K

238.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿382.6K

$3,514 IQD 4.6M

227.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,096

$29.67 IQD 38.8K

112.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿982

$38.11 IQD 49.9K

-22.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,259

$74.5 IQD 97.6K

31.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,943

$46.47 IQD 60.8K

90.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.12

35.19%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Mashhad: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $34.00 in Mashhad. Groceries flip the comparison at $274 vs $127, with Mashhad cheaper for home cooking.

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 Mashhad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Mashhad differ by about 92% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $640 including rent). Mashhad is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $960 in Mashhad to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $165 in Mashhad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mashhad – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $640 in Mashhad versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mashhad but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Mashhad 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 Mashhad 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 Mashhad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 92% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.