Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mashhad

For one person, living is cheaper in Mashhad: $478 a month against $1,207 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $8,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

59

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index
23

Cost of Living Index in Mashhad
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Mashhad Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,207

/mo nomad

Mashhad

🇮🇷 Iran

$478

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Mashhad

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Mashhad actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,207 per month in Phuket vs $478 in Mashhad, rent included.

Phuket $1,207
Mashhad $478

A couple spends around $2,037 per month in Phuket vs $769 in Mashhad, rent included.

Phuket $2,037
Mashhad $769

A family of three spends $2,867 per month in Phuket vs $1,060 in Mashhad, rent included.

Phuket $2,867
Mashhad $1,060

Phuket costs about 152% more than Mashhad, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Phuket and Mashhad are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 11% lower, Mashhad 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.58 ฿153

$2.94 $2.94

55.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.48 ฿1,086

$18.79 $18.79

72.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.55 ฿286

$4.97 $4.97

72.03%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.57 $0.57

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 $0.91

Cappuccino

$2.72 ฿91.0

$1.08 $1.08

151.85%

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

$0.94 ฿31.25

$0.43 $0.43

118.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.39

$0.26 $0.26

88.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 ฿86.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 ฿128

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 ฿58.1

$0.65 $0.65

167.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ฿47.82

$0.21 $0.21

580.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.0

$1.93 $1.93

-20.73%

Eggs

$2.17 ฿72.7

$1.16 $1.16

87.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.15 ฿640

$2.10 $2.10

811.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿110

$2.75 $2.75

20.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.14 ฿372

$10.32 $10.32

7.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿98.5

$0.89 $0.89

231.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.1

$1.55 $1.55

8.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 ฿76.8

$0.85 $0.85

170.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿71.3

$0.58 $0.58

267.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.1

$0.49 $0.49

212.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿45.55

$0.44 $0.44

209.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ฿37.44

$0.52 $0.52

115.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.29 $0.29

89.66%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.93 $0.93

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 $0.78

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 $0.93

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$3.05 $3.05

39.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.19 ฿608

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ฿58.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 ฿93.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿74.1

$0.02 $0.02

11000.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.06 ฿737

$3.68 $3.68

499.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 ฿97.3

$0.18 $0.18

1516.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 ฿33.79

$0.48 $0.48

110.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.83 ฿128

$2.02 $2.02

89.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.85

$0.83 $0.83

79.52%

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

$26.7K ฿891.6K

$60.8K $60.8K

-56.08%

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

$26.7K ฿892.7K

$66.2K $66.2K

-59.64%

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

$99.4 ฿3,321

$13.84 $13.84

617.99%

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

$11.28 ฿377

$2.64 $2.64

327.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.36 ฿580

$27.25 $27.25

-36.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 ฿1,747

$19.18 $19.18

172.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.85 ฿362

$15.12 $15.12

-28.24%

Cinema Ticket

$7.57 ฿253

$2.05 $2.05

269.27%

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

$558 ฿18.7K

$41.26 $41.26

1253.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿383.9K

$628 $628

1730.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 ฿2,102

$20.15 $20.15

212.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.58 ฿955

$38.41 $38.41

-25.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.1 ฿3,213

$94.7 $94.7

1.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.1 ฿2,943

$68.8 $68.8

27.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$729 ฿24.4K

$215 $215

239.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$460 ฿15.4K

$151 $151

204.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,096 ฿70.0K

$401 $401

422.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,222 ฿40.8K

$269 $269

354.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,459 ฿115.6K

$1,140 $1,140

203.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,489 ฿83.2K

$685 $685

263.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$493 ฿16.5K

$250 $250

97.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

21.5

-74.09%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 13, 2026

Last update for Mashhad: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$460 38.1%

Mashhad

$151 31.6% 67.2% $309

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$268 22.2%

Mashhad

$100 20.9% 62.7% $168

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$128 10.6%

Mashhad

$44 9.1% 65.8% $84

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$124 10.3%

Mashhad

$100 20.9% 19.4% $24

Eating Out

Phuket

$121 10.1%

Mashhad

$54 11.3% 55.3% $67

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$67 5.6%

Mashhad

$23 4.9% 65.5% $44

Getting Around

Phuket

$39 3.2%

Mashhad

$6.3 1.3% 83.7% $33

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $729 in Phuket versus $215 in Mashhad. 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 97% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $19.00 in Mashhad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $268 vs $100 – making Mashhad the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇮🇷 Mashhad

🕒 Local time

11:19 11:19 AM

07:49 7:49 AM

3 h 30 min behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

3,001,184

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

USD USD

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

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Phuket Mashhad 5,040 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 costs about 152% more than Mashhad, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,811 per month in Phuket and $718 in Mashhad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mashhad, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,207 in Phuket and $478 in Mashhad. That's a gap of about 152%.

Public transport costs about 499% less in Mashhad. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Mashhad, where all-in costs run around $478, than in Phuket at $1,207. In Mashhad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mashhad costs $478 versus $1,207 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Mashhad. 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.