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: $1,264 in Phuket versus $851 in Mashhad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,277 in Mashhad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $1,702 in Mashhad.

Living in Phuket is roughly 49% more expensive than in Mashhad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Mashhad 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$5.25 IQD 6,877

-14.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,523

$36.62 IQD 48.0K

24.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

13.62%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.1

$3.05 IQD 3,998

-2.62%

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

$0.69 ฿22.93

$0.37 IQD 482

86.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.05

$0.22 IQD 286

77.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.5

$3.37 IQD 4,410

-24.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$2.94 IQD 3,853

27.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.7

$1.31 IQD 1,715

64.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$0.84 IQD 1,094

116.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿73.0

$1.57 IQD 2,058

38.85%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.1

$0.80 IQD 1,045

181.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿668

$4.59 IQD 6,007

335.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$2.02 IQD 2,646

79.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿453

$3.01 IQD 3,943

350.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$0.99 IQD 1,291

227.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.17 IQD 1,531

40.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.9

$0.97 IQD 1,275

140.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.2

$0.68 IQD 894

204.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.7

$0.69 IQD 908

124.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.60

$0.63 IQD 831

131.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.89

$0.29 IQD 374

237.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.11

$0.20 IQD 262

140.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$0.82 IQD 1,078

430.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$13.49 IQD 17.7K

37.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.0

$1.78 IQD 2,335

4.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.7

$2.07 IQD 2,716

28.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.33

$0.36 IQD 473

294.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿387

$31.31 IQD 41.0K

-63.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$3.81 IQD 4,988

-16.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.46

$1.50 IQD 1,960

-31.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿464

$7.55 IQD 9,884

83.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.89

$0.57 IQD 742

135.09%

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

$27.8K ฿928.2K

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

36.29%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$19.9K IQD 26.1M

67.33%

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

$123 ฿4,110

$177 IQD 231.6K

-30.42%

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

$13.77 ฿460

$26.28 IQD 34.4K

-47.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿612

$40.96 IQD 53.6K

-55.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,027

$36.46 IQD 47.7K

66.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$16.72 IQD 21.9K

2.63%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$7.43 IQD 9,735

19.38%

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

$688 ฿23.0K

$165 IQD 215.8K

317.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿527.0K

$3,559 IQD 4.7M

343.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,981

$28.68 IQD 37.6K

106.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,159

$30.31 IQD 39.7K

14.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,847

$64.7 IQD 84.7K

78.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,798

$43.57 IQD 57.1K

92.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.8K

$242 IQD 316.9K

156.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$182 IQD 238.0K

145.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.9K

$573 IQD 750.4K

254.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿50.0K

$349 IQD 457.0K

328.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.67

-6.00%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Mashhad: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $242 in Mashhad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $37.00 in Mashhad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $130 per month, with Mashhad cheaper across the board.

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 49% in total monthly costs ($1,264 vs $851 including rent). Mashhad is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,896 in Phuket and $1,277 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $621 in Phuket versus $242 in Mashhad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $688 in Phuket versus $165 in Mashhad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 124% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $851 in Mashhad versus $1,264 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 49% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.