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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $879 in Zakho versus $1,232 in Phuket.

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

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

Living in Zakho costs roughly 29% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.73 IQD 10.1K

$4.41 ฿147

75.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.26 IQD 58.0K

$32.26 ฿1,077

37.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.17 IQD 10.7K

$8.93 ฿298

-8.51%

Cappuccino

$3.81 IQD 4,993

$2.90 ฿96.6

31.38%

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

$1.07 IQD 1,403

$0.88 ฿29.38

21.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 IQD 538

$0.48 ฿16.06

-14.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.14 IQD 8,037

$2.35 ฿78.5

161.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.57 IQD 5,983

$3.72 ฿124

22.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 IQD 1,657

$1.87 ฿62.3

-32.09%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 IQD 1,069

$1.47 ฿48.94

-44.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 IQD 2,308

$1.55 ฿51.8

13.55%

Eggs

$1.77 IQD 2,317

$2.10 ฿70.1

-15.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.19 IQD 10.7K

$19.59 ฿654

-58.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.52 IQD 7,228

$3.42 ฿114

61.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.97 IQD 19.6K

$11.38 ฿380

31.55%

Apples (1kg)

$1.10 IQD 1,439

$2.98 ฿99.6

-63.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 IQD 1,457

$1.68 ฿56.2

-33.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.23 IQD 1,614

$2.21 ฿73.7

-44.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.80 IQD 1,042

$2.16 ฿72.1

-62.96%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 IQD 973

$1.52 ฿50.9

-51.32%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 IQD 958

$1.34 ฿44.67

-45.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 IQD 1,046

$1.13 ฿37.67

-29.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 IQD 772

$0.55 ฿18.24

7.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.45 IQD 3,211

$4.26 ฿142

-42.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.65 IQD 16.6K

$19.09 ฿637

-33.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 IQD 2,231

$1.78 ฿59.4

-4.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 IQD 2,697

$2.78 ฿92.9

-25.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 IQD 2,570

$3.03 ฿101

-35.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.79 IQD 2,341

$1.02 ฿34.15

75.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.61 IQD 8,654

$3.89 ฿130

69.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.68 IQD 892

$1.49 ฿49.77

-54.36%

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

$17.7K IQD 23.2M

$26.6K ฿887.3K

-33.45%

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

$19.8K IQD 25.9M

$27.0K ฿902.2K

-26.70%

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

$127 IQD 166.0K

$102 ฿3,420

23.73%

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

$13.60 IQD 17.8K

$11.33 ฿378

20.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.07 IQD 36.8K

$17.40 ฿581

61.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$11.44 IQD 15.0K

$7.69 ฿257

48.76%

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

$317 IQD 414.5K

$561 ฿18.7K

-43.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,093 IQD 4.1M

$11.5K ฿384.1K

-73.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.48 IQD 39.9K

$63.0 ฿2,104

-51.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.73 IQD 25.8K

$29.52 ฿986

-33.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.6 IQD 66.2K

$98.0 ฿3,272

-48.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.77 IQD 52.1K

$88.5 ฿2,954

-55.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$115 IQD 151.2K

$738 ฿24.6K

-84.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$223 IQD 291.7K

$482 ฿16.1K

-53.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$315 IQD 412.6K

$2,107 ฿70.3K

-85.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$276 IQD 361.1K

$1,226 ฿40.9K

-77.50%

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)

$657 IQD 860.6K

$494 ฿16.5K

33.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.53

5.57

-54.58%

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

Last update for Zakho: September 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $115 in Zakho and $738 in Phuket. 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: $44.00 in Zakho vs $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $205 vs $274, 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

Zakho vs Phuket: 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.

Average pay runs 33% higher in Zakho, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $115 in Zakho versus $738 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $317 in Zakho versus $561 in Phuket. 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, Zakho and Phuket 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.