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: $1,223 in Phuket versus $330 in Bahawalpur.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Phuket versus $528 in Bahawalpur.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,251 in Phuket versus $726 in Bahawalpur.

Living in Phuket is roughly 270% more expensive than Bahawalpur, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Bahawalpur 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿147

$1.72 PKR 477

162.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,515

$8.75 PKR 2,433

432.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿276

$3.47 PKR 966

144.67%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.45 PKR 402

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 PKR 1,300

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿100

$1.32 PKR 366

133.33%

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

$0.68 ฿22.07

$0.33 PKR 93.0

106.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.75

$0.22 PKR 61.1

63.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿78.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿118

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.1

$0.49 PKR 136

346.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.0

$0.56 PKR 156

223.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿72.5

$1.25 PKR 347

78.40%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿72.7

$1.06 PKR 295

111.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿637

$7.34 PKR 2,041

167.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿121

$2.56 PKR 711

45.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿438

$3.32 PKR 923

305.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿109

$1.03 PKR 287

226.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿52.5

$0.54 PKR 149

200.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.3

$0.26 PKR 72.9

826.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.6

$0.50 PKR 139

298.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.76

$0.34 PKR 95.8

350.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.19

$0.56 PKR 155

158.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿32.96

$0.58 PKR 162

74.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.73

$0.30 PKR 83.2

60.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.95 PKR 264

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 PKR 206

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 PKR 960

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿139

$1.91 PKR 530

123.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿621

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿59.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.06

$0.20 PKR 54.9

610.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

$1.72 PKR 479

581.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿97.6

$1.05 PKR 291

185.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.00

$0.19 PKR 53.5

452.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿452

$1.09 PKR 303

1175.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿41.94

$0.91 PKR 252

41.76%

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

$28.0K ฿911.1K

$21.6K PKR 6.0M

29.96%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$21.0K PKR 5.8M

59.85%

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

$122 ฿3,964

$57.3 PKR 15.9K

113.03%

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

$13.93 ฿453

$3.86 PKR 1,074

260.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿613

$12.93 PKR 3,595

45.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿1,992

$12.57 PKR 3,494

387.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

$8.07 PKR 2,243

108.67%

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿289

$2.17 PKR 602

309.68%

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

$691 ฿22.5K

$26.32 PKR 7,319

2526.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿525.2K

$682 PKR 189.6K

2269.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$16.28 PKR 4,525

254.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,150

$21.75 PKR 6,047

62.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,685

$60.1 PKR 16.7K

88.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,698

$26.13 PKR 7,264

217.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.7K

$106 PKR 29.3K

475.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.6K

$52.4 PKR 14.6K

754.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.0K

$230 PKR 63.9K

782.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.5K

$131 PKR 36.5K

1036.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿116.5K

$3,583 PKR 996.2K

0.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.0K

$771 PKR 214.3K

235.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.4K

$133 PKR 37.0K

279.02%

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Bahawalpur: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $607 in Phuket and $106 in Bahawalpur. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 279% 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: $47.00 in Phuket vs $9.00 in Bahawalpur for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 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 270% 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.

Phuket pays 279% 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: $607 in Phuket versus $106 in Bahawalpur. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,223 per month in Phuket versus $330 in Bahawalpur – a 270% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bahawalpur runs roughly 581% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $330 in Bahawalpur versus $1,223 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 $330 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 270% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.