Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Zakho Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Zakho

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $864 in Zakho.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,359 in Zakho.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $1,854 in Zakho.

Living in Phuket is roughly 46% more expensive than Zakho, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Zakho 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$7.58 IQD 9,926

-39.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$22.64 IQD 29.7K

105.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$8.88 IQD 11.6K

-4.62%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$3.19 IQD 4,184

-5.02%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.48 IQD 628

43.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.22 IQD 288

68.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$2.03 IQD 2,656

22.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.04 IQD 2,673

79.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.33 IQD 1,739

63.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$0.79 IQD 1,039

140.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.86 IQD 2,434

18.28%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$1.90 IQD 2,489

16.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$7.27 IQD 9,524

174.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$4.81 IQD 6,294

-23.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$14.09 IQD 18.5K

-5.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$1.15 IQD 1,510

180.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.19 IQD 1,558

42.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.18 IQD 1,541

102.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$0.81 IQD 1,062

156.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.66 IQD 864

140.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$0.71 IQD 933

108.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$0.72 IQD 947

43.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.56 IQD 727

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$2.62 IQD 3,430

62.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$12.35 IQD 16.2K

52.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.45 IQD 1,898

21.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$1.94 IQD 2,542

42.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.40 IQD 521

240.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$30.88 IQD 40.4K

-63.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$2.26 IQD 2,965

38.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$2.23 IQD 2,921

-53.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$7.00 IQD 9,165

96.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$0.70 IQD 912

91.43%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$19.2K IQD 25.1M

44.27%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$20.6K IQD 27.0M

64.50%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$100 IQD 131.0K

23.55%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$17.47 IQD 22.9K

-22.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$29.69 IQD 38.9K

-37.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$37.17 IQD 48.7K

66.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$17.01 IQD 22.3K

1.41%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$11.66 IQD 15.3K

-21.61%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$272 IQD 355.7K

158.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$3,319 IQD 4.3M

378.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$32.98 IQD 43.2K

80.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$49.77 IQD 65.2K

-29.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$82.0 IQD 107.4K

40.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$76.1 IQD 99.6K

10.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$246 IQD 321.7K

151.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$180 IQD 236.0K

140.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$580 IQD 759.4K

255.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$343 IQD 448.6K

341.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$659 IQD 863.5K

-23.11%

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 7, 2026

Last update for Zakho: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $246 in Zakho. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zakho pays 30% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $23.00 in Zakho for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $195 per month, with Zakho 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 Zakho: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zakho is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 46% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Zakho earns 30% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $246 in Zakho. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $272 in Zakho. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 50% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $864 in Zakho versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Zakho but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Zakho the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Zakho is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Zakho 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 Zakho gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.