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: $864 in Zakho versus $1,261 in Phuket.

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

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

Living in Zakho costs roughly 31% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.58 IQD 9,926

$4.56 ฿149

66.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.64 IQD 29.7K

$46.63 ฿1,519

-51.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.88 IQD 11.6K

$8.47 ฿276

4.84%

Cappuccino

$3.19 IQD 4,184

$3.03 ฿98.6

5.28%

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

$0.48 IQD 628

$0.69 ฿22.45

-30.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 IQD 288

$0.37 ฿11.92

-40.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 IQD 2,656

$2.49 ฿81.0

-18.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 IQD 2,673

$3.66 ฿119

-44.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 IQD 1,739

$2.18 ฿71.0

-38.99%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 IQD 1,039

$1.90 ฿62.0

-58.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 IQD 2,434

$2.20 ฿71.6

-15.45%

Eggs

$1.90 IQD 2,489

$2.22 ฿72.4

-14.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.27 IQD 9,524

$19.99 ฿651

-63.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.81 IQD 6,294

$3.66 ฿119

31.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.09 IQD 18.5K

$13.25 ฿432

6.34%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,510

$3.23 ฿105

-64.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 IQD 1,558

$1.70 ฿55.3

-30.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 IQD 1,541

$2.39 ฿78.0

-50.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.81 IQD 1,062

$2.08 ฿67.7

-61.06%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 IQD 864

$1.59 ฿51.8

-58.49%

Onion (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 933

$1.48 ฿48.31

-52.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 IQD 947

$1.03 ฿33.54

-30.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 IQD 727

$0.52 ฿16.83

7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.62 IQD 3,430

$4.25 ฿138

-38.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.35 IQD 16.2K

$18.79 ฿612

-34.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 IQD 1,898

$1.76 ฿57.2

-17.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 IQD 2,542

$2.76 ฿89.8

-29.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 IQD 521

$1.36 ฿44.32

-70.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.88 IQD 40.4K

$11.36 ฿370

171.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 IQD 2,965

$3.14 ฿102

-28.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.23 IQD 2,921

$1.04 ฿33.74

114.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.00 IQD 9,165

$13.77 ฿448

-49.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.70 IQD 912

$1.34 ฿43.79

-47.76%

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

$19.2K IQD 25.1M

$27.7K ฿901.4K

-30.69%

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

$20.6K IQD 27.0M

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-39.21%

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

$100 IQD 131.0K

$124 ฿4,025

-19.06%

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

$17.47 IQD 22.9K

$13.52 ฿440

29.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 IQD 38.9K

$18.69 ฿609

58.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.17 IQD 48.7K

$61.8 ฿2,013

-39.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.01 IQD 22.3K

$17.25 ฿562

-1.39%

Cinema Ticket

$11.66 IQD 15.3K

$9.14 ฿298

27.57%

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

$272 IQD 355.7K

$703 ฿22.9K

-61.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,319 IQD 4.3M

$15.9K ฿517.0K

-79.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.98 IQD 43.2K

$59.5 ฿1,937

-44.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.77 IQD 65.2K

$35.07 ฿1,142

41.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 IQD 107.4K

$115 ฿3,754

-28.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.1 IQD 99.6K

$84.1 ฿2,737

-9.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$246 IQD 321.7K

$619 ฿20.1K

-60.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 IQD 236.0K

$433 ฿14.1K

-58.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$580 IQD 759.4K

$2,062 ฿67.2K

-71.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$343 IQD 448.6K

$1,511 ฿49.2K

-77.33%

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)

$659 IQD 863.5K

$507 ฿16.5K

30.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.67

5.33

6.38%

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

Last update for Zakho: June 7, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $246 in Zakho and $619 in Phuket. 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: $23.00 in Zakho vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $195 vs $293 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

Zakho vs Phuket: 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.

Zakho pays 30% more on average, 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: $246 in Zakho versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $272 in Zakho versus $703 in Phuket. 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, 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 46% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.