Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Gilgit and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Gilgit: $447 a month against $1,294 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $10,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Gilgit, Pakistan
Phuket, Thailand
Gilgit
🇵🇰 Pakistan
$447
/mo nomad
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,294
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Gilgit and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Gilgit and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $447 per month in Gilgit vs $1,294 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Gilgit $447
  • Phuket $1,294

A couple spends around $670 per month in Gilgit vs $2,204 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Gilgit $670
  • Phuket $2,204

A family of three spends $894 per month in Gilgit vs $3,115 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Gilgit $894
  • Phuket $3,115

Gilgit is about 65% cheaper than Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Gilgit and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Gilgit 67% lower, Phuket 4% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Gilgit
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.49 PKR 411
$4.39 ฿147
-66.06%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$10.71 PKR 2,962
$32.31 ฿1,078
-66.85%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.32 PKR 1,473
$8.70 ฿290
-38.85%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.50 PKR 690
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.09 PKR 1,407
-
-
Cappuccino
$1.59 PKR 441
$2.72 ฿90.9
-41.54%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.32 PKR 88.2
$0.93 ฿31.06
-65.59%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.23 PKR 62.7
$0.50 ฿16.67
-54.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.53 ฿84.5
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.63 ฿121
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Gilgit
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.81 PKR 223
$1.74 ฿58.1
-53.45%
White Bread (500g)
$0.62 PKR 172
$1.45 ฿48.42
-57.24%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.13 PKR 312
$1.50 ฿50.1
-24.67%
Eggs
$1.15 PKR 317
$2.17 ฿72.5
-47.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.63 PKR 1,557
$19.09 ฿637
-70.51%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.46 PKR 681
$3.40 ฿113
-27.65%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$4.84 PKR 1,339
$10.90 ฿364
-55.60%
Apples (1kg)
$1.12 PKR 309
$2.94 ฿98.2
-61.90%
Banana (1kg)
$0.58 PKR 160
$1.69 ฿56.5
-65.68%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.78 PKR 216
$2.19 ฿73.2
-64.38%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.52 PKR 143
$2.12 ฿70.9
-75.47%
Potato (1kg)
$0.28 PKR 77.3
$1.46 ฿48.68
-80.82%
Onion (1kg)
$0.38 PKR 106
$1.37 ฿45.66
-72.26%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.43 PKR 119
$1.08 ฿35.91
-60.19%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.38 PKR 104
$0.55 ฿18.21
-30.91%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$1.89 PKR 522
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.09 PKR 303
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.44 PKR 674
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.97 PKR 545
$4.43 ฿148
-55.53%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$18.25 ฿609
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.77 ฿59.2
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.88 ฿96.2
-
🚌 Getting Around
Gilgit
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.16 PKR 43.69
$1.45 ฿48.32
-88.97%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$10.05 PKR 2,781
$54.9 ฿1,832
-81.69%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.07 PKR 295
$1.51 ฿50.5
-29.14%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.71 PKR 196
$0.78 ฿25.90
-8.97%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.62 PKR 448
$3.84 ฿128
-57.81%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.17 PKR 325
$1.49 ฿49.65
-21.48%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.0K PKR 6.1M
$26.9K ฿897.3K
-18.25%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.2K PKR 6.4M
$26.3K ฿879.4K
-11.83%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gilgit
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$101 PKR 27.8K
$97.8 ฿3,265
2.81%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.66 PKR 1,567
$11.29 ฿377
-49.87%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$14.23 PKR 3,936
$17.19 ฿574
-17.22%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Gilgit
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$14.85 PKR 4,107
$68.3 ฿2,281
-78.27%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.85 PKR 2,173
$10.92 ฿365
-28.11%
Cinema Ticket
$4.25 PKR 1,176
$7.43 ฿248
-42.80%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Gilgit
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$42.28 PKR 11.7K
$530 ฿17.7K
-92.03%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,047 PKR 289.7K
$18.8K ฿626.9K
-94.42%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Gilgit
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$16.72 PKR 4,625
$61.7 ฿2,059
-72.89%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$22.58 PKR 6,246
$28.25 ฿943
-20.07%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$67.5 PKR 18.7K
$96.0 ฿3,204
-29.65%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$32.35 PKR 8,948
$86.8 ฿2,898
-62.73%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Gilgit
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$134 PKR 37.2K
$721 ฿24.1K
-81.35%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$86.0 PKR 23.8K
$509 ฿17.0K
-83.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$272 PKR 75.2K
$1,950 ฿65.1K
-86.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$178 PKR 49.2K
$1,397 ฿46.6K
-87.27%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$810 PKR 224.2K
$4,192 ฿139.9K
-80.67%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$499 PKR 138.0K
$3,298 ฿110.1K
-84.87%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Gilgit
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$492 ฿16.4K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13
5.57
133.39%

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

Last update for Gilgit: November 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gilgit
$120
Phuket
$126 4.8% $5.8
Groceries & Markets
Gilgit
$90
Phuket
$267 198% $177
Accommodation & Living
Gilgit
$86
Phuket
$509 492% $423
Clothing & Footwear
Gilgit
$63
Phuket
$123 95.9% $60
Eating Out
Gilgit
$49
Phuket
$120 143% $70
Sport & Entertainment
Gilgit
$23
Phuket
$83 256% $60
Getting Around
Gilgit
$15
Phuket
$66 332% $51

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $134 in Gilgit versus $721 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $11 in Gilgit versus $32 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $90 vs $267 – making Gilgit the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇰 Gilgit
🇹🇭 Phuket
🕒 Local time
22:46 10:46 PM
00:46 12:46 AM
2 h ahead of Gilgit
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
216,760
79,308
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to PKR – Pakistani Rupee Converter

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 277 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.62 USD). 1 EUR = 311 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.22 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 33.38 THB (100 THB = 3 USD). 1 EUR = 37.51 THB (100 THB = 2.67 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Gilgit Phuket 3,960 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Gilgit
  • Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Gilgit vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Gilgit or Phuket?
Phuket costs about 190% more than Gilgit, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Gilgit and in Phuket?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $670 per month in Gilgit and $1,940 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Gilgit or Phuket?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Gilgit, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $134 there versus $721 in Phuket.
Are groceries more expensive in Gilgit or in Phuket?
Groceries cost about 198% more in Phuket, though the gap depends on what you buy.
How do dining costs compare in Gilgit and in Phuket?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $11 in Gilgit and $32 in Phuket. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Can you live on $800/month in Gilgit or in Phuket?
A $800 monthly budget goes further in Gilgit, where all-in costs run around $447, than in Phuket at $1,294. In Gilgit it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Gilgit – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How safe is Gilgit compared to Phuket?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
For expats, Gilgit is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 65% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

Gilgit vs other spots: cost of living compared

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