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: $1,232 in Phuket versus $879 in Zakho.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,278 in Zakho.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $1,676 in Zakho.

Living in Phuket is roughly 40% more expensive than in Zakho, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Zakho 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$7.73 IQD 10.1K

-42.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$44.26 IQD 58.0K

-27.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$8.17 IQD 10.7K

9.30%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$3.81 IQD 4,993

-23.88%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$1.07 IQD 1,403

-17.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.41 IQD 538

17.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$6.14 IQD 8,037

-61.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$4.57 IQD 5,983

-18.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.27 IQD 1,657

47.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$0.82 IQD 1,069

79.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.76 IQD 2,308

-11.93%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$1.77 IQD 2,317

18.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$8.19 IQD 10.7K

139.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$5.52 IQD 7,228

-38.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$14.97 IQD 19.6K

-23.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$1.10 IQD 1,439

170.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.11 IQD 1,457

51.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$1.23 IQD 1,614

79.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$0.80 IQD 1,042

170.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$0.74 IQD 973

105.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$0.73 IQD 958

83.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$0.80 IQD 1,046

41.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.59 IQD 772

-6.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$2.45 IQD 3,211

73.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$12.65 IQD 16.6K

50.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$1.70 IQD 2,231

4.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$2.06 IQD 2,697

34.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$1.96 IQD 2,570

54.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$1.79 IQD 2,341

-43.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$6.61 IQD 8,654

-41.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$0.68 IQD 892

119.12%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$17.7K IQD 23.2M

50.26%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$19.8K IQD 25.9M

36.42%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$127 IQD 166.0K

-19.18%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$13.60 IQD 17.8K

-16.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$28.07 IQD 36.8K

-38.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$11.44 IQD 15.0K

-32.78%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$317 IQD 414.5K

77.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$3,093 IQD 4.1M

271.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$30.48 IQD 39.9K

106.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$19.73 IQD 25.8K

49.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$50.6 IQD 66.2K

93.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$39.77 IQD 52.1K

122.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$115 IQD 151.2K

539.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$223 IQD 291.7K

116.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$315 IQD 412.6K

568.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$276 IQD 361.1K

344.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$657 IQD 860.6K

-24.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

2.53

120.16%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Zakho: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $115 in Zakho. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zakho pays 33% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $44.00 in Zakho. Groceries flip the comparison at $274 vs $205, with Zakho 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 Zakho: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zakho is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 40% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 33% lower in Zakho. 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: $738 in Phuket versus $115 in Zakho. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $317 in Zakho. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Zakho – a meal for two runs $44.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $879 in Zakho versus $1,232 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 40% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.