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: $1,264 in Phuket versus $890 in Zakho.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,364 in Zakho.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $1,839 in Zakho.

Living in Phuket is roughly 42% more expensive than in Zakho, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Zakho 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$7.77 IQD 10.2K

-42.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$23.31 IQD 30.5K

95.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$8.61 IQD 11.3K

1.74%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$3.09 IQD 4,043

-3.88%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.52 IQD 677

32.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.20 IQD 262

95.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$2.01 IQD 2,636

25.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$2.16 IQD 2,825

73.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.34 IQD 1,750

60.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$0.79 IQD 1,040

130.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.86 IQD 2,432

17.20%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$1.90 IQD 2,491

18.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$7.42 IQD 9,721

169.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$4.73 IQD 6,199

-23.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$13.98 IQD 18.3K

-3.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$1.14 IQD 1,487

184.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.18 IQD 1,551

38.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.13 IQD 1,479

106.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$0.82 IQD 1,068

152.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$0.66 IQD 860

134.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$0.71 IQD 933

105.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$0.74 IQD 967

32.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.53 IQD 692

-9.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$2.73 IQD 3,569

59.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$12.23 IQD 16.0K

51.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$1.38 IQD 1,807

34.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$2.03 IQD 2,661

30.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.36 IQD 473

294.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$30.67 IQD 40.2K

-62.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$2.27 IQD 2,976

39.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$2.22 IQD 2,912

-53.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$6.98 IQD 9,142

99.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$0.70 IQD 919

91.43%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$19.0K IQD 24.9M

46.41%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$20.9K IQD 27.3M

59.88%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$101 IQD 131.6K

22.43%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$17.58 IQD 23.0K

-21.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$30.20 IQD 39.5K

-39.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$36.33 IQD 47.6K

67.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$17.06 IQD 22.3K

0.59%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$11.42 IQD 15.0K

-22.33%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$267 IQD 349.6K

157.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$3,247 IQD 4.3M

385.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$32.29 IQD 42.3K

83.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$48.66 IQD 63.7K

-28.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$83.9 IQD 109.9K

37.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$78.6 IQD 102.9K

6.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$238 IQD 311.3K

161.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$181 IQD 236.8K

146.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$576 IQD 753.6K

253.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$342 IQD 447.6K

337.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$663 IQD 867.7K

-25.51%

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 Zakho: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $238 in Zakho. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zakho pays 34% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $23.00 in Zakho for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $194 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 42% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 34% 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: $621 in Phuket versus $238 in Zakho. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $688 in Phuket versus $267 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 $890 in Zakho versus $1,264 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 42% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.