Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bahawalpur Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bahawalpur

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $336 in Bahawalpur.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $526 in Bahawalpur.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $717 in Bahawalpur.

Living in Phuket is roughly 276% more expensive than in Bahawalpur, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Bahawalpur 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$1.72 PKR 478

160.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$8.65 PKR 2,401

427.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$3.56 PKR 989

146.07%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 PKR 397

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 PKR 1,345

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$1.27 PKR 354

133.86%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.31 PKR 85.5

122.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.24 PKR 66.7

62.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$0.52 PKR 143

313.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$0.53 PKR 148

243.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.28 PKR 355

70.31%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$1.03 PKR 285

118.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$7.07 PKR 1,963

182.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$2.69 PKR 747

34.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$3.26 PKR 905

315.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$1.04 PKR 288

211.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$0.55 PKR 153

198.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$0.24 PKR 66.6

870.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$0.52 PKR 145

298.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$0.37 PKR 104

318.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$0.51 PKR 142

186.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$0.62 PKR 173

58.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.29 PKR 81.8

65.52%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.96 PKR 266

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 PKR 201

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 PKR 962

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$1.91 PKR 531

127.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.16 PKR 45.46

787.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$1.82 PKR 505

535.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$1.03 PKR 285

207.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$0.15 PKR 42.98

586.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$1.07 PKR 297

1198.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$0.92 PKR 254

45.65%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$21.0K PKR 5.8M

32.42%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$21.2K PKR 5.9M

57.68%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$57.7 PKR 16.0K

113.22%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$3.72 PKR 1,032

270.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$13.06 PKR 3,623

40.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$12.57 PKR 3,489

382.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$7.83 PKR 2,172

119.16%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$2.10 PKR 584

322.38%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$27.02 PKR 7,498

2445.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$681 PKR 189.0K

2217.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$16.17 PKR 4,486

266.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$21.95 PKR 6,091

58.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$61.3 PKR 17.0K

87.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$25.53 PKR 7,085

228.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$105 PKR 29.1K

491.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$53.9 PKR 15.0K

727.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$234 PKR 65.0K

768.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$135 PKR 37.5K

1006.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$3,527 PKR 978.9K

-2.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$758 PKR 210.5K

233.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$134 PKR 37.2K

268.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-70.39%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Bahawalpur: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $105 in Bahawalpur. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 268% 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: $46.00 in Phuket vs $9.00 in Bahawalpur for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $84.0 per month, with Bahawalpur 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 Bahawalpur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bahawalpur wins on cost – living expenses run 276% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bahawalpur the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 268% higher in Phuket, 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: $621 in Phuket versus $105 in Bahawalpur. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,264 per month in Phuket versus $336 in Bahawalpur – a 276% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bahawalpur runs roughly 536% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $336 in Bahawalpur versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bahawalpur but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Bahawalpur the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bahawalpur delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $336 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bahawalpur hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Bahawalpur 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 Bahawalpur gentler on the wallet – expenses run 276% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.