Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Peshawar and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Peshawar: $437 a month against $1,207 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $9,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

21

Cost of Living Index in Peshawar
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Peshawar Living Index
59

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
Learn more

Phuket Living Index

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Peshawar

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$437

/mo nomad

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,207

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Peshawar 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 Peshawar and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $437 in Peshawar versus $1,207 in Phuket.

Peshawar $437
Phuket $1,207

Estimated couple costs with rent: $629 in Peshawar versus $2,037 in Phuket.

Peshawar $629
Phuket $2,037

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $821 in Peshawar versus $2,867 in Phuket.

Peshawar $821
Phuket $2,867

Living in Peshawar costs roughly 64% less than in Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Peshawar 68% lower, Phuket 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.40 PKR 663

$4.58 ฿153

-47.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.79 PKR 2,432

$32.48 ฿1,086

-72.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.28 PKR 1,460

$8.55 ฿286

-38.25%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 PKR 607

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 PKR 814

Cappuccino

$2.61 PKR 722

$2.72 ฿91.0

-4.04%

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

$0.36 PKR 98.8

$0.94 ฿31.25

-61.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 PKR 55.2

$0.49 ฿16.39

-59.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 ฿86.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 ฿128

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 PKR 270

$1.74 ฿58.1

-43.68%

White Bread (500g)

$0.76 PKR 212

$1.43 ฿47.82

-46.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 PKR 292

$1.53 ฿51.0

-31.37%

Eggs

$1.06 PKR 294

$2.17 ฿72.7

-51.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.51 PKR 972

$19.15 ฿640

-81.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.04 PKR 840

$3.30 ฿110

-7.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.80 PKR 1,051

$11.14 ฿372

-65.89%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 PKR 327

$2.95 ฿98.5

-60.00%

Banana (1kg)

$0.55 PKR 153

$1.68 ฿56.1

-67.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.58 PKR 161

$2.30 ฿76.8

-74.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 155

$2.13 ฿71.3

-73.71%

Potato (1kg)

$0.29 PKR 80.3

$1.53 ฿51.1

-81.05%

Onion (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 92.4

$1.36 ฿45.55

-75.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.28 PKR 77.1

$1.12 ฿37.44

-75.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.27 PKR 75.1

$0.55 ฿18.24

-50.91%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.02 PKR 558

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 PKR 196

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 PKR 205

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.78 PKR 492

$4.26 ฿142

-58.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.19 ฿608

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ฿58.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 ฿93.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 PKR 63.8

$2.22 ฿74.1

-89.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.53 PKR 3,467

$22.06 ฿737

-43.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 PKR 295

$2.91 ฿97.3

-63.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 PKR 190

$1.01 ฿33.79

-31.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 PKR 405

$3.83 ฿128

-61.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 PKR 336

$1.49 ฿49.85

-18.79%

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

$22.2K PKR 6.1M

$26.7K ฿891.6K

-16.92%

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

$24.0K PKR 6.6M

$26.7K ฿892.7K

-10.23%

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

$100 PKR 27.8K

$99.4 ฿3,321

0.99%

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

$6.11 PKR 1,691

$11.28 ฿377

-45.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.22 PKR 3,935

$17.36 ฿580

-18.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.46 PKR 4,280

$52.3 ฿1,747

-70.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.15 PKR 1,701

$10.85 ฿362

-43.32%

Cinema Ticket

$2.01 PKR 557

$7.57 ฿253

-73.45%

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

$46.31 PKR 12.8K

$558 ฿18.7K

-91.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,106 PKR 1.4M

$11.5K ฿383.9K

-55.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$7.09 PKR 1,962

$62.9 ฿2,102

-88.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.28 PKR 4,507

$28.58 ฿955

-43.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.87 PKR 13.8K

$96.1 ฿3,213

-48.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.01 PKR 11.1K

$88.1 ฿2,943

-54.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$127 PKR 35.2K

$729 ฿24.4K

-82.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$76.2 PKR 21.1K

$460 ฿15.4K

-83.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$202 PKR 55.8K

$2,096 ฿70.0K

-90.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$118 PKR 32.7K

$1,222 ฿40.8K

-90.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,459 ฿115.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,489 ฿83.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$147 PKR 40.6K

$493 ฿16.5K

-70.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

97.49%

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

Last update for Peshawar: October 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Peshawar

$121 27.6%

Phuket

$128 10.6% 6.1% $7.3

Groceries & Markets

Peshawar

$83 19.1%

Phuket

$268 22.2% 221% $184

Accommodation & Living

Peshawar

$76 17.4%

Phuket

$460 38.1% 504% $384

Eating Out

Peshawar

$69 15.7%

Phuket

$121 10.1% 77.1% $53

Clothing & Footwear

Peshawar

$51 11.7%

Phuket

$124 10.3% 143% $73

Sport & Entertainment

Peshawar

$19 4.5%

Phuket

$67 5.6% 246% $48

Getting Around

Peshawar

$18 4.1%

Phuket

$39 3.2% 117% $21

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $127 in Peshawar and $729 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 236% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $9.00 in Peshawar vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $83.0 vs $268 per month, with Peshawar cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇰 Peshawar

🇹🇭 Phuket

🕒 Local time

18:45 6:45 PM

20:45 8:45 PM

2 h ahead of Peshawar

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,970,042

79,308

💱 Currency

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to PKR – Pakistani Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇰 Pakistani Rupee (₨)

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 277 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD). 1 EUR = 311 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to PKR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Peshawar Phuket 4,000 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Peshawar
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

Peshawar vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Peshawar wins on cost – living expenses run 176% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Peshawar the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 236% lower in Phuket. 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: $127 in Peshawar versus $729 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $437 per month in Peshawar versus $1,207 in Phuket – a 176% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Peshawar runs roughly 76% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $437 in Peshawar versus $1,207 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Peshawar but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Peshawar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Peshawar delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $437 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Peshawar hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Peshawar 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 Peshawar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 176% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.