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: $1,223 in Phuket versus $846 in Mashhad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Phuket versus $1,258 in Mashhad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,251 in Phuket versus $1,669 in Mashhad.

Living in Phuket is roughly 45% more expensive than Mashhad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Mashhad 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿147

$5.51 IQD 7,214

-18.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,515

$36.40 IQD 47.7K

28.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿276

$7.47 IQD 9,786

13.65%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿100

$3.01 IQD 3,944

2.33%

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

$0.68 ฿22.07

$0.37 IQD 480

83.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.75

$0.18 IQD 232

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿78.8

$3.47 IQD 4,550

-29.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿118

$2.95 IQD 3,858

23.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.1

$1.32 IQD 1,732

65.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.0

$0.83 IQD 1,087

118.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿72.5

$1.67 IQD 2,181

33.53%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿72.7

$0.86 IQD 1,130

160.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿637

$4.41 IQD 5,770

344.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿121

$1.95 IQD 2,550

90.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿438

$2.96 IQD 3,873

355.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿109

$1.02 IQD 1,342

229.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿52.5

$1.20 IQD 1,576

35.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.3

$1.03 IQD 1,348

133.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.6

$0.68 IQD 888

192.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.76

$0.65 IQD 857

135.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.19

$0.63 IQD 829

130.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿32.96

$0.31 IQD 410

225.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.73

$0.22 IQD 294

118.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿139

$0.83 IQD 1,088

414.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿621

$13.54 IQD 17.7K

41.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿59.7

$1.85 IQD 2,424

-0.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.1

$2.09 IQD 2,741

31.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.06

$0.36 IQD 475

294.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

$30.56 IQD 40.0K

-61.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿97.6

$3.78 IQD 4,956

-20.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.00

$1.48 IQD 1,943

-29.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿452

$7.46 IQD 9,775

86.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿41.94

$0.57 IQD 751

126.32%

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

$28.0K ฿911.1K

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

40.24%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

64.85%

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

$122 ฿3,964

$178 IQD 233.6K

-31.61%

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

$13.93 ฿453

$26.12 IQD 34.2K

-46.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿613

$40.13 IQD 52.5K

-52.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿1,992

$37.37 IQD 48.9K

63.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

$16.76 IQD 21.9K

0.48%

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿289

$7.81 IQD 10.2K

13.83%

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

$691 ฿22.5K

$164 IQD 215.4K

320.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿525.2K

$3,644 IQD 4.8M

343.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$28.72 IQD 37.6K

101.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,150

$30.70 IQD 40.2K

15.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,685

$65.3 IQD 85.5K

73.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,698

$42.54 IQD 55.7K

95.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.7K

$245 IQD 320.6K

147.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.6K

$181 IQD 237.4K

147.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.0K

$578 IQD 757.3K

250.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.5K

$339 IQD 444.4K

340.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿116.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.4K

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Mashhad: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $607 in Phuket and $245 in Mashhad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $36.00 in Mashhad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $131 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 45% in total monthly costs ($1,223 vs $846 including rent). Mashhad is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,835 in Phuket and $1,270 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: $607 in Phuket versus $245 in Mashhad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $691 in Phuket versus $164 in Mashhad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 123% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $846 in Mashhad versus $1,223 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 45% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.